Updates - UNITE HERE Local 5

Marriott Strike: Day 10 bulletin

October 17, 2018

View PDF version of Marriott Strike Day 10 bulletin here.

View all photos from Marriott Strike Day 9.

Keep strong, keep fighting on! Our picket lines have been solid. Support from community and guests keeps pouring in. We’ve been getting huge turnout to our #Relayfor1job

Lots of victories to report on:

Our #Relayfor1job marched from Laie to Waimea. Turtle Bay Resort workers waved signs with us, supporting our strike.
Plumbers and Fitters Union Local 675 moved their Membership Benefits Conference out of the Sheraton Waikiki to honor our strike!
Strikers delegated the GM of Prince Waikiki after we learned that a banquet manager emailed employees about scabbing at the striking hotels. The GM disavowed this in an email to workers and in a letter to Eric Gill stating: “We are not encouraging or providing assistance to our employees to work at a struck property.”
Local 5 filed an unfair labor practice charge against Sheraton Maui for trespassing 3 employees for leafletting.
Hula and Tahitian dancers performed at each of our Waikiki picket lines to support our fight.

News coverage:

KHON 2: “Turtle Bay Resort Local 5 workers support hotel workers’ strike efforts”
Hawaii News Now: “Hotel workers strike could impact a a major convention and charity event”
Honolulu Star-Advertiser: “Marriott hotel workers strike for 2nd week”
Honolulu Star-Advertiser: “Strike by Marriott hotel workers leaves some guests grumbling”
Pacific Business News: “No negotiations planned as Marriott hotel worker strike continues”
Maui Now: “UNITE HERE Local 5 Files Unfair Labor Practice Charge Against Sheraton Maui”
The Maui News: “Sheraton worker is handcuffed, banned for year”
ThinkProgress: “Hawaiian hotel workers want better pay for state’s high cost of living”
eTurboNews: “Unfair labor practice charge filed against Sheraton Maui for banning its employees”

Marriott Strike Bulletin: Day 9

October 16, 2018

View PDF version of Marriott Strike Day 9 bulletin here.

View all photos from Marriott Strike Day 8.

Our #MarriottStrike has been going on for nine solid days and is making a real impact on the company. The general managers’ letters to guests say that guest services are limited or eliminated. Supportive guests are sending us photos of long lines, dirty rooms, and lack of amenities.

Marriott and Kyo-ya knew we authorized a strike on September 10, yet they did not inform guests. They are still not informing guests about our strike until they check in. Even with limited services, many guests are still paying full price for their rooms.

Our hotels are making record profits off our work. We are the ones who care about our guests. The company doesn’t care about workers or guests. They only care about their bottom line.

Victories and highlights from yesterday:

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard made a public statement supporting our strike!
Waikiki strikers picketed at HiEmployment, a staffing agency that’s sending strike breakers to striking hotels.
Sheraton Maui workers delegated PWC (People Who Clean) because they are sending scabs to cross our picket line.
Our #Relayfor1job marched from Kualoa to Laie. We will continue through the North Shore for the next few days.
Local 5 retirees have been volunteering at our Strike HQ every day since our strike began. They fought for the wages, benefits, and job security that we have today. They continue to fight now. Now it’s our turn to fight for the future generations.
Members of UNITE HERE Local 8 at the Westin Seattle reached a tentative contract agreement with Marriott! Our Marriott strike has been so powerful that the company settled in Seattle, which authorized a strike by 98%, to contain our strike from spreading.

News coverage:

KITV: “Hotel employee on strike detained for trespassing”
Hawaii Public Radio: “No Talks Scheduled Yet in Hotel Strike”
Balitang America: “Hawaii Marriott employees push for better pay, working conditions”
Maui Now: “Strikers at Sheraton Maui Issued Trespass Citations”
Skift: “How Big a Problem Are the Growing Worker Strikes for Marriott?”
eTurboNews: “Kyo-ya’s Sheraton Maui trespasses 3 employees over strike leaflets”

Management’s letters to guests on limited services at hotels

October 16, 2018

Over 2,700 Marriott workers at five of Hawaii’s most prominent hotels have been on strike since October 8: Sheraton Waikiki, Sheraton Princess Kaiulani, Westin Moana Surfrider, The Royal Hawaiian, and Sheraton Maui. They are on strike because one job should be enough to live in Hawaii.

Workers will be picketing at all five hotels for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and are urging visitors and residents to support workers by not patronizing these hotels. The strike has made a significant impact on guest services. All five hotels have had to limit or eliminate guest services such as housekeeping, restaurants, pool services, and more.

Guests have complained that Marriott and Kyo-ya did not give them an advanced notice about the strikes. Upon arrival, guests are receiving letters from management about the limited guest services.

Managements letters to guests

Westin Moana Surfrider

The Royal Hawaiian

Sheraton Waikiki

Sheraton Princess Kaiulani

Sheraton Maui

Westin Moana Surfrider (Japanese)

The Royal Hawaiian (Japanese)

Sheraton Waikiki (Japanese)

Sheraton Princess Kaiulani (Japanese)

Photos inside the striking hotels

The strike has made a significant impact on guest services. All five hotels have had to limit or eliminate guest services such as housekeeping, restaurants, pool services, and more.

Marriott Strike Bulletin: Day 8

October 15, 2018

View PDF version of Marriott Strike Day 8 bulletin here.

View all photos from Marriott Strike Day 7.

We are staying strong and united on the picket lines. Our One Job Should Be Enough message is being heard loud and clear.

Victories from yesterday:

Gov. David Ige’s Chief of Staff, Mike McCartney, joined our picket line and affirmed the Governor’s support of our One Job Should Be Enough campaign.
OPEIU (Office and Professional Employees International Union) made a public statement supporting our national Marriott strike. Their local affiliate, the Hawaii Nurses Association OPEIU 50, has been joining our picket lines.
Our #Relayfor1job made its way from Kaneohe to Kualoa Park. So many honks and shakas of support!
Students from UH Maui College’s Kabatak Club joined our Sheraton Maui picket line.
Community members and other Local 5 members continue to support us, including the Toyoma ohana. They donated manapua and pork hash in honor of their grandparents who were Local 5 members.

News coverage:

Honolulu Star-Advertiser: “Strike-related dampening of visitor numbers could cross into 2019“
KHON 2: “Noise from Local 5 strike impacting businesses, guests”
Associated Press: “Officials Fear Hawaii Hotel Worker Strike Could Go Into 2019”
View from the Wing: “As Marriott Workers Strike, Guests Stuck With the Full Bill But Less Service”

Marriott Strike Bulletin: Day 7

October 14, 2018

View PDF version of Marriott Strike Day 7 bulletin here.

View all photos from Marriott Strike Day 6.

Worker unity and community support really ramped up on Day 6 of our #MarriottStrike.

Two public sector unions, the United Public Workers and the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly, wrote public statements supporting our strike.

The Hawaii Democratic Party joined our Sheraton Princess Kaiulani picket line and donated water.

Many tourists joined our picket lines, even helping us with chanting. Community supporters donated water, food, and even roses and lei to our picket lines.

Our Relay for One Job is a huge hit. For 11 days, strikers and community supporters will walk around the island of Oahu carrying our One Job Should Be Enough flag and taking our message into the community. If you want to join our relay, contact Local 5.

News coverage:

Hawaii News Now: “Kyo-ya says they’re ready to welcome back hotel workers, but picketers aren’t convinced”
Honolulu Star-Advertiser: “Striking hotel workers take their message to Waikiki Beach”
Honolulu Star-Advertiser: “Editorial: News of hotel strike moves fast”
Daily Kos: “This week in the war on workers: ‘One job should be enough,’ striking Marriott workers say”
eTurboNews: “Marriott Hawaii Strike: A travelers nightmare unfolding at Sheraton Hotels”
Hawaii Tribune-Herald: “New technology, housekeeping among concerns in hotel strikes”
The Maui News: “Kyo-ya: Committed to ‘good faith bargaining’”

Marriott Strike Bulletin: Day 6

October 13, 2018

View PDF version of Marriott Strike Day 6 bulletin here.

View all photos from Marriott Strike Day 5.

We kicked off Day 5 of our #MarriottStrike with 1000+ strikers marching through the beach and demanding that one job should be enough to live in Hawaii.

Then we had a rally that included a One Job Should Be Enough pageant with Sophia the Robot vs. Edwinna, a Sheraton Waikiki front desk worker. (video on our Facebook page). When the audience was asked to vote for who delivers the best quality guest services, they overwhelmingly chose Edwinna.

This action was the kickoff for our #Relayfor1job. For 11 days, strikers will walk around the island carrying our One Job Should Be Enough flag and taking our message into the community.

This was also part of a National Day of Action where several other Marriott cities staged civil disobediences, pickets, and marches.

News coverage:

Associated Press: “New technology, housekeeping among concerns in hotel strikes”
Honolulu Star-Advertiser: “Picketing hotel workers march on Waikiki Beach as strike continues”
Honolulu Star-Advertiser: “Letter: Hotels should share profits with workers”
Hawaii News Now: “As striking workers walk picket lines for 5th day, hotels post ‘help wanted’ ads”
KITV: “Hawaii Marriott Hotel owners on employees protesting: ‘Ready to welcome them back'”
Travel Weekly: “Striking Hawaii hotel workers cite high cost of living”

Archive for category: Updates

Managements letters to guests

Photos inside the striking hotels