San Francisco hotel workers authorize strike

On Oct. 22, over 3,000 members of UNITE-HERE Local 2 voted overwhelmingly—by 92.3 percent—to authorize a strike against 31 upscale hotels in San Francisco. The union represents 12,000 hospitality workers in San Francisco and San Mateo County whose labor contract with the hotels expired in August.

One of the major sticking points between the 125-member union negotiating committee and the owners of the hotels is funding health care benefits for the workers and their families. On Sept. 24 police arrested 92 people engaged in civil disobedience outside two hotels. Close to 2,000 workers and their supporters rallied with them, raising their demands for a fair contract.

Right now the workers plan to “remain on the job unless and until the bargaining committee calls a strike,” according to an Oct. 22 union press release. Local 2 plans an informational picket line at one of the fancy hotels in the coming days. For more information visit unitehere2.org.