December 16, 2009
Hotel workers took to the streets this morning at the W hotel, launching another boycott of a San Francisco hotel. Hundreds of workers are expected to participate in this two-day informational picket, ending Thursday at 10:00 p.m.
Today’s action comes as hotel management companies continue to press for a contract that would slash health & retirement benefits and would increase workloads. “We’ve proposed the cheapest contract in the union’s history while the corporations continue millions,” said John Elrod, a bartender at the W Hotel since it opened in 1999. “I think the hotel workers have sacrificed enough.”
In July 2009, the W Hotel was bought by southeast Asian conglomerate, Keck Seng for $90 million or about $223,000 per room. The W is managed by Starwood Hotels & Resorts [NYSE:HOT], the same company that manages the Palace, St. Francis, and St. Regis hotels. Starwood earned $180 million in profits during the first nine months of this year, and its stock price has risen 66% since January 1.
The union has indicated a willingness to settle for a contract that would result in as little as a 1.5% increase in payroll costs – or less than $140,000 for the W. “There has never been a question of whether they can afford what’s on the table,” said Mike Casey, President of Local 2. “The question is whether these companies will make a business decision that’s in the best interests of workers, the City, and the hotels themselves.”
Local 2 continues to communicate with customers of the Grand Hyatt, Palace and St. Francis hotels urging them to move their business to a non-disputed San Francisco hotel. Those hotels were subject to three-day strikes and boycotts in recent weeks. Workers at 27 other upscale San Francisco hotels have authorized work stoppages if necessary, in support of their campaign to win a new contract.
Press
- San Francisco Tourism Recovery Off to Slow Start; Wall Street Journal, 12/17/2009
- Workers Start Two-Day Protest at W Hotel; San Francisco Examiner, 12/16/2009
