SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The U.S. hotel industry saw a nationwide strike on Labor Day in eight cities, from San Diego to Boston. More than 10,000 hotel workers walked out on the job, demanding big changes at work.
In San Diego, more than 700 workers with Unite Here Local 30 went on strike for a second day outside the Hilton Bayfront Hotel, starting at 3 a.m.
Hotel workers, including bellmen, housekeepers, kitchen workers, front desk agents, and others, walked off the job before the sun even rose, leaving the hotel with several gaps to fill.
"I think it's probably limited services inside because we had very few workers cross the line and go into work, so it means management is doing all the work that we normally do," said Bridgette Browning, the president of Unite Here Local 30.
Guests at the Hilton Bayfront on vacation encountered the unexpected strike, and one guest who wished to remain anonymous told ABC 10News that he would be demanding a full refund for the inconveniences he experienced over the holiday weekend. He complained about the loud protest outside and management's reaction to his complaints, and he added that he didn't agree with the workers on strike.
However, Shanara Lennox, who tends the bar at the Hilton, said her fight for better pay is worth the sacrifice she's making on this holiday weekend.
"An industry like this should be offering adequate wages for people only needing one job to live," Lennox said.
Unite Here Local 30 said it is demanding higher wages, fair staffing and workloads, and the reversal of COVID-era cuts. Lennox explained that short-shifting, which is when an employee's hours are scheduled based on the clientele's demands, was a COVID-era policy.
"If you're offered a full-time position, you should be offered full-time hours regardless of the business that they're receiving," Lennox said.
The union said its contracts expired Saturday and has been negotiating with the hotel for the last two months. A meeting was set for Tuesday, but Browning said it was canceled.
Browning also said the union will continue to strike every day from 3 a.m. to midnight.
A spokesperson for the Hilton Bayfront Hotel emailed the following statement as a response to the strike:
"Hilton San Diego Bayfront makes every effort to maintain a cooperative and productive relationship with UNITE HERE Local 30, a union that represents some of our Team Members. We remain committed to negotiating in good faith to reach a fair and reasonable agreement that is beneficial to both our valued Team Members and to our hotel. We are also fully committed to providing guests with our signature hospitality and have contingency plans in place to ensure operations continue to run as smoothly as possible."
