Due to personal needs, I’ve not written any new content in over a week! However, I’m back now and am pleased to inform you all that Waikīkī hotel workers ratified new contracts, ending a strike at one of the state’s largest properties while also preventing walkouts at others. However, not all hotels in the islands are safe from work stoppages yet.
Yep, if you haven’t already heard, the Hilton Hawaiian Village strike ended during my hiatus. The 40-day strike came to an end a little over a week ago after members of Unite Here! Local 5 ratified the new contract their union negotiated with resort management. Unfortunately, both sides remain mum on the details of the new contract, so we have no clue how they came to an agreement. That said, guests of the resort can now rest easy knowing things will be back to normal there. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if prices increase there.
Of course, as you may recall, the Hilton Hawaiian Village wasn’t the only hotel under negotiations with Unite Here! Local 5. Seven other properties around the state were also engaged in active negotiations. Thankfully, at least some of them are now in the clear, as Waikīkī hotel workers ratified new contracts earlier this week. That said, not all properties are safe from potential strike actions yet.
Waikīkī Hotel Workers Ratified New Contracts
One week after workers at the Hilton Hawaiian Village ratified their new contracts, Waikīkī hotel workers ratified new contracts at their five other hotels, eliminating the threat of a strike at these properties. Those hotels include:
- Royal Hawaiian Hotel
- Sheraton Princess Kaiulani
- Sheraton Waikiki
- Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort
- Westin Moana Surfrider
Further, workers at the Sheraton Maui will be voting on their new contract today, while those at the Sheraton Kaua’i will do so tomorrow.
While we don’t know anything about these new contracts either, a union rep said that the “strike set a historic new standard for hotel workers, and without their sacrifice, we would not have been able to secure similar agreements with Kyo-Ya and Marriott. These agreements achieve our major goals—wages that help us get ahead and not just get by, job security, and a commitment from our employers to address workload and staffing concerns that have a direct impact on our guests.”
So, it would seem that these other properties received similar contacts to those Hilton Hawaiian Village employees were able to obtain. The union also seems to have won higher pay rates and staffing ratios, which could translate into higher room rates in the future.
That all said, not all properties have been able to negotiate a new contract yet. Workers at the Hyatt Regency Waikīkī are still dealing with management there, and because they did vote to authorize a strike, they can walk off the job at any moment. So, if you plan on staying here any time soon, be aware that this isn’t over for you. And if possible, having a backup plan would be a good idea.
Final Thoughts
It’s great that Waikīkī hotel workers ratified a new contract. The workers, presumably, got at least some of what they were after, and guests no longer have to worry about the inconveniences a strike can bring with it. But, as I mentioned earlier, if you’re planning a stay at the Hyatt Regency Waikīkī, you’ll want to keep tabs on the news surrounding that property, as there isn’t even a tentative agreement yet. Moreover, workers at the Grand Wailea still appear to be unhappy, too, but a different union represents them.
All that said, as I mentioned earlier, on top of inflation pushing prices up, that the Waikīkī hotel workers ratified a new contract, and assuming they got large pay increases, higher prices at these properties are almost a guarantee.