‘We know our worth’: Hundreds of more workers at 4 prominent Boston hotels walk off the job

BOSTON — Hundreds of more workers at four prominent hotels in Boston went on strike Thursday morning, just days after nearly 1,000 other workers at other city properties walked off the job during Labor Day weekend.

About 400 workers including room attendants, house persons, front desk agents, doorpersons, bellpersons, cooks, dishwashers, banquet servers, engineers, and others walked off the job at Moxy Boston Downtown, The Newbury Boston, W Boston Hotel, and The Dagny, according to Unite Here Local 26.

Unite Here Local 26 says the workers are protesting arduous workloads and wages that aren’t enough to afford the cost of living.

Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, and Omni hotel properties are locked in unresolved contract negotiations, prompting strikes in 12 cities nationwide, including Boston, as hotel workers fight for meaningful raises, fair workloads, and the reversal of COVID-era cuts.

“I’m on strike because I need higher wages to pay my bills and support my daughters through college. It’s also really important that I maintain my health insurance and make sure I have a pension that will enable me to retire with dignity,” Alicia Cacho, a front desk agent of 12 years at The Newbury Boston said in a statement “Going on strike is a difficult thing to do, but I’m thinking about my family’s future in the long term. The hotel owners know how hard we work and how expensive it is to live in Boston. We know our worth, and we’re willing to do whatever it takes to win the raises, benefits, and job security that we deserve!”

Carlos Aramayo, president of Unite Here LOCAL 26, says room rates are at record highs and the hotel industry in America made over $100 billion in gross operating profit in 2022, but the wages workers are paid still aren’t enough to cover the cost of living.

“The Union and the hotel companies are still far apart on strike issues including raises, workloads, and COVID-era cuts,” Aramayo said in a statement. “Without a significant wage increase, many hotel workers simply cannot afford to live in Boston, the city that they welcome guests to. Our members shouldn’t have to work more than one job. We’re asking the hotels to hire and schedule more staff because strenuous workloads are breaking workers’ bodies. The travel industry is booming in Boston, and it’s unacceptable for hotel companies to boost profits by cutting their offerings to guests and abandoning their responsibility to workers.”

Earlier this month, workers at Fairmont Copley Square, Park Plaza, Hilton Logan Airport, and Hilton Seaport went on strike over the failed contract negotiations.

The negotiations between the hotels and the union have reportedly dragged on since April.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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