Massachusetts Political Leaders Delegate Marriott Management, Call for Meaningful Negotiations to End Strike
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 29, 2018
Massachusetts Political Leaders Delegate Marriott Management, Call for Meaningful Negotiations to End Strike
Local politicians show strong support of striking Marriott hotel workers, out fighting for one job that’s enough to live on for almost a full month
Governor Baker Moves Event: In addition to today’s delegation of state and local politicians, last week Governor Charlie Baker said he would no longer hold his election night events at the Sheraton Boston. “We have been given word that Governor Charlie Baker has moved his election night operation out of the Sheraton Boston, one of the 7 Marriott-operated hotels where workers are on strike,” said UNITE HERE Local 26 President Brian Lang. “On behalf of Boston’s striking Marriott workers, I would like to thank our good friend Governor Baker for his leadership and act of solidarity with the striking workers.”
BOSTON, MA—Led by Congresswoman-elect Ayanna Pressley, and City Councilors Ed Flynn and Michelle Wu, local politicians gave Marriott management a letter urging meaningful movement at the negotiating table. Striking Marriott hotel workers have been out since October 3, sacrificing to win a new contract from the biggest and richest hotel company in the world.
Massachusetts and Boston politicians see striking Marriott hotel workers as “ambassadors for the Greater Boston area.” Their letter to President and CEO of Marriott, Arne Sorenson, states “Like all workers, they deserve to be paid a living wage and enjoy basic protections from unfair scheduling practices, sexual harassment, and other workplace abuses.” The letter continues, “We urge you to negotiate in good faith with the representing union, UNITE HERE Local 26, to reach a fair compromise that will end the strike and allow both parties to move forward amicably as soon as possible.”
Marriott is the largest and most profitable hotel chain in the world, but Boston’s Local 26 workers have been in contract negotiations since March as they fight to win basic job security, safer working conditions, and jobs that are enough to support their families.
On October 3, workers walked out at seven Marriott-operated hotels, including the Aloft Boston Seaport District, the Element Boston Seaport District, the Ritz-Carlton Boston, the Sheraton Boston, the W Hotel Boston, the Westin Boston Waterfront, and the Westin Copley Place. This is the first hotel strike in Boston’s history. The last time Local 26 workers went on strike was at Harvard in October 2016, when dining hall workers struck for 22 days and successfully settled a contract with the world’s richest university.
Marriott workers are also on strike in San Francisco, Detroit, San Jose, San Diego, Oakland, and Hawaii, totaling nearly 8,000 workers demanding that One Job Should Be Enough.
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UNITE HERE Local 26 is the hospitality workers’ union and represents more than 10,000 members working in the hotel, food service, and airport industries in Boston and Rhode Island. Learn more at www.local26.org
UNITE HERE represents over 270,000 members working in the hotel, gaming, food service, and airport industries across the US and Canada. Learn more at www.unitehere.org
