San Francisco hotel workers authorize strike

The hotel workers represented by Unite Here Local 2 have overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike against 13 San Francisco hotels. The vote count was 2,241 in favor of striking and 168 opposed. Local 2 president Mike Casey said, “This is a dramatic expression of solidarity and unity and commitment to get this dispute resolved.”

The union is in an ongoing dispute with 13 hotels. Workers have been without a contract since 2004. The hotels, which

negotiate together as the Multi-Employer Group, have proposed a two-tier health care package. They want to give new employees fewer, but more costly benefits.

But Local 2 is refusing to accept any concessions. Negotiations are set to resume during the week of Aug. 28. The union hopes that the strike authorization will strengthen the workers’ bargaining power. The union’s goal is to have a contract by Labor Day, Sept. 4.

The union’s demands include: comprehensive health care for workers and their families; the right of workers at newly built or acquired hotels in San Francisco and San Mateo to choose to join the union without being threatened, intimidated or fired; provisions that address increased work loads and understaffing; living wages; and pensions that ensure retirement with dignity.

The last time the hotel workers agreed to strike, September 2004, they voted to strike four hotels for two weeks. In retaliation, the 14 hotels that then belonged to the Multi-Employer Group—one hotel has since left the group—locked out all 4,200 workers for almost seven weeks.

The Multi-Employer Group hoped they would outlast the workers and pressure the union into accepting profitable concessions. But instead, as the weeks of loud and determined picketing carried on, the hotel owners were forced to end the lockout. Round-the-clock picket lines outside the luxury hotels caused an estimated loss of $25 million.

The workers’ impact on San Francisco’s economy was so strong that the local government intervened. They have since been working without a contract in what’s called a “cooling off period.” Many individuals and organizations, including the ANSWER Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) and the Party for Socialism and Liberation, actively supported the workers throughout their struggle and will continue to do so.