By Doyinsola Oladipo and Mrinmay Dey
NEW YORK (Reuters) -Practically 1,100 resort staff within the U.S. cities of Boston and Greenwich are on a three-day strike after contract talks with resort operators Marriott Worldwide (NASDAQ:), Hilton Worldwide, and Hyatt Lodges (NYSE:) reached an deadlock, the Unite Right here union mentioned on Sunday.
The strikes, which started on Sunday, might unfold to different cities throughout the US through the Labor Day weekend, as extra resort staff put together to affix the walkout.
Marriott and Hilton didn’t instantly reply to a Reuters request for remark.
Hyatt beforehand informed Reuters that it has contingency plans for a strike in order that resort operations usually are not affected.
1000’s of resort staff shall be on strike as 9% extra People journey domestically over Labor Day weekend in comparison with final 12 months, in accordance with AAA reserving knowledge.
Unite Right here, which represents staff in accommodations, casinos, and airports throughout the US and Canada, mentioned dissatisfied resort staff might strike in different main cities as they wrestle to agree with resort operators on wages and on reversing pandemic-era job cuts.
“Strikes have also been authorized and could begin at any time in Baltimore, Honolulu, Kauai, New Haven, Oakland, Providence, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle,” the union mentioned in a press release.
The strike comes as 40,000 Unite Right here resort staff throughout 20 cities face expiring contracts this 12 months. About 15,000 of these staff have licensed strikes in 12 markets from Boston to Honolulu.
Staff have been in negotiations for brand spanking new four-year contracts since Could.
“We won’t accept a ‘new normal’ where hotel companies profit by cutting their offerings to guests and abandoning their commitments to workers,” Unite Right here President Gwen Mills mentioned, demanding a greater deal.
The union has urged vacationers to cancel their resort stays if the employees are on strike and demand penalty-free refunds.
Unite Right here staff in 2023 received document contracts in Los Angeles following rolling strikes and in Detroit after a 47-day strike.
In Las Vegas, on line casino operators MGM, Caesars (NASDAQ:) and Wynn resorts reached an settlement in November to avert a strike with 40,000 hospitality staff days earlier than a deadline that will have crippled the Vegas Strip.