Leading up to International Women’s Day, Modern Honolulu and Ilikai hotel workers to rally for a fair contract

ONE UNION ONE STANDARD Today, nearly 200 Waikiki hotel workers rallied outside of The Modern Honolulu and the Ilikai Hotel to call on management to “Respect our work” and “Respect our guests” by giving their workers a fair contract.

Workers at Modern & Ilikai are fighting for improvements equal to the “Waikiki Standard” secured at ten other Hawai‘i hotels following two historic strikes at the end of 2024. Key improvements included in the “Waikiki Standard” include wage increases that keep up with the rising cost of living, safe workloads and proper staffing that ensure quality guest service, and improved job security in the event of large-scale disasters like the COVID-19 pandemic.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MARCH 6, 2025
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Leading up to International Women’s Day, Waikiki hotel workers to rally for a fair contract

WHO: More than a hundred hotel workers from The Modern Honolulu, A Hilton Vacation Club and the Ilikai Hotel represented by UNITE HERE Local 5 (Local 5), Hawai‘i’s hotel, healthcare, and food service union

WHERE & WHEN: Thursday, March 6 @ 5-6 p.m. on The Modern Honolulu’s pool deck (located on Holomoana St.) and in the front of the Ilikai Hotel (1777 Ala Moana Blvd.)

WHY: In the first week of Women’s History Month and two days before International Women’s Day, hotel workers at The Modern Honolulu, A Hilton Vacation Club and the Ilikai Hotel are rallying to call on management to “Respect our work” and “Respect our guests” by settling their new contract.

Historically, women have made up the majority of the hospitality industry’s workforce and nearly 88% of hotel housekeepers are women. In 2024, women earned an average of 85% of what men earned and the gender pay gap has been attributed in part to occupational segregation of women in lower paying jobs than men, according to Pew Research Center.

“We deserve equal pay for equal work. We refuse to be treated like second-class workers when we do the same work every day as other hotel workers who have already settled their new contracts,” said Mary Glen Fuerte, Housekeeper at The Modern Honolulu, 9 years of service. “I love my job and take pride in my work, but the company does not respect my hard work enough to provide wages than can support my children or the supplies I need to deliver the best quality of service to guests.”

Women’s history month and International Women’s Day should remind us all to respect women’s contributions to society, including in the workforce. We will not allow these companies to undervalue these contributions by accepting anything less than the Waikiki Standard,” said Gemma Weinstein, President. “Women are the backbone of the hospitality industry, especially in housekeeping, and it is because of our hard work that companies like Hilton are making record breaking profits.”

The Modern Honolulu and Ilikai Hotel are among seven other Hawai‘i hotels represented by Local 5 with recently expired contracts including the Ritz-Carlton O‘ahu, Turtle Bay; the Modern Honolulu, A Hilton Vacation Club; the Ilikai Hotel; the DoubleTree by Hilton Alana – Waikiki Beach; the Hale Koa Hotel, and the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa. On January 20, workers at the Kahala Hotel & Resort ratified their new contract within weeks of their contract expiring.

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About UNITE HERE Local 5

Local 5 represents 10,000 workers throughout Hawaii who work in the hospitality, health care and food service industries and is an affiliate of UNITE HERE, an international union that represents over 250,000 workers throughout the U.S. and Canada. For more information, visit www.unitehere5.org.