First came Boston, then came San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, San Diego, and Detroit. And now, Marriott Hawaii employees go on strike too.
Strike in Hawaii
Marriott has a lot of properties in Hawaii, especially after the merger with Starwood. However, on Monday, October 8, only 2,700 Marriott Hawaii employees went on strike. That’s because, at the moment, workers at only five properties are picketing. Those properties are all owned by Kyo-ya and managed by Marriott and include the Sheraton Waikiki, Sheraton Princess Kaiulani, the Westin Moana Surfrider, The Royal Hawaiian, and the Sheraton Maui. That said, Unite Here 5 Local officials say that employees at other Marriott properties in Hawaii could go on strike at any time.
It’s worth noting that one of the properties affected by the strike in San Francisco is The Palace Hotel, which falls under Marriott’s Luxury Collection brand. And the property’s owner is Kyo-ya too. Interesting enough, though, other properties with picketing in San Francisco are pre-merger Marriott brands.
Details
The reason for the strikes happening across the country, as you can probably guess, revolve around wages. Unite Here Local 5 contracts at the affected properties expired back in July and August. And despite ongoing negotiations, Marriott, property owners, and the union can’t come to an agreement on new contracts. Employees, of course, vow not to return to work until new contracts are ratified. So, it’s anyone’s guess how long the strike will last.
Marriott Hawaii Employees Go on Strike, Final Thoughts
To cope with the strikes, Kyo-ya is adjusting staffing levels and services offered at its Hawaii properties. And, they recommend guests get in touch with properties prior to their stay for the latest information. That, of course, means that guests services will be impacted by the strikes, despite the properties remaining open. So, if you have a stay at any of these properties in the near future and are concerned about the impacts of the strike, maybe look into staying elsewhere. For those that prefer to stay with Marriott brands, there are unaffected properties on Maui and Oahu, including the Laylow Waikiki, the Waikiki Beach Marriott, the Wailea Beach Marriott, and so forth.
Personally, I hope the strikes end soon. They likely won’t last a month, but I hope they end before November when the Mrs. and I head to the Bay Area.