Hotel housekeepers have for years waged a fierce battle to restore automatic daily room cleaning that was scaled back at many properties during the pandemic.
Union members from Local 26, representing workers in the hospitality industries of Massachusetts, picket outside the Hyatt Regency Boston, Wednesday, July 17, 2024, in Boston.
The labor unrest serves as a reminder of the COVID-19 pandemic's disproportionate and lingering toll on low-wage women, especially Black and Hispanic women who are overrepresented in front-facing service jobs. Although women have largely returned to the workforce since bearing the brunt of pandemic-era furloughs — or dropping out to take on caregiving responsibilities — that recovery has masked aThe U.S. hotel industry employs about 1.
Kevin Carey, the interim president and CEO of the hotel association, says hotels are doing all they can to attract workers. According to the association's surveys, 86% of hoteliers have increased wages over the past six months and many have offered more flexibility with hours or expanded benefits. The association says wages for hotel workers have risen 26% since the pandemic.
At the Hilton Hawaiian Village, Nely Reinante said guests often tell her they don’t need their rooms cleaned because they don’t want her to work too hard. She said she seizes every opportunity to explain that turning down her services only makes more work for housekeepers.At least 5,000 workers at seven hotels in Honolulu, including the Hilton Hawaiian Village, have voted to authorize strikes.
In a statement, Hilton said it was “committed to negotiating in good faith to reach fair and reasonable agreements.” Hyatt said it was “optimistic that mutually beneficial agreements can be reached without strikes.” Marriott and Omni did not return requests for comments.despite average occupancy rates that remain shy of 2019 levels, largely due to higher room rates and record guest spending per room. Average revenue per available room, a key metric, is expected to reach a record high of $101.
Workers bristle at what they consider a strategy that squeezes more out of them as they cope with erratic schedules and low pay. While unionized housekeepers tend to make higher wages, pay varies widely between cities.
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