Strikes have begun at two Center City Philadelphia hotels, as workers demand better workplace protections and fair wages ahead of next year’s celebrations for America’s 250th anniversary.
Union contracts at nine hotels in the city have expired, according to UNITE HERE Local 274, which represents more than 4,000 hotel and food workers at Philadelphia’s stadiums, hotels, and airports. Workers started walking the picket lines at the Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown, located at 17th and Race streets, and the Hampton Inn Philadelphia Center City-Convention Center, at 13th and Race streets, beginning at 5 a.m. Sunday, according to the union’s website.
The union notes that labor disputes could occur at any time at the following hotels:
– Hilton Garden Inn Center City
– The Warwick Hotel Rittenhouse Square
– Sonesta Hotel Philadelphia
– Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District
– Hilton Philadelphia at Penn’s Landing
– Sheraton Hotel Philadelphia University City
Additionally, a contract with food and beverage workers at Philadelphia International Airport Terminals B and F has also expired.
“During a strike, regular employees will not be there to scrub the toilets, change the sheets, cook the food, or take out the trash,” the union’s website states. “Picket lines, which involve chanting, loud drumming, and other noise, may persist for 24 hours per day.”
The Sheraton Downtown is owned by Miami-based investor Cambridge Landmark, while the Hampton Inn Center City is owned by Blackstone’s real estate investment trust, BREIT.
Back in July, workers picketed outside the Sheraton demanding “respect, fair wages, and humane staffing levels.” One worker described the situation as “extremely stressful,” noting that the hotel has been operating without a union contract for at least a year and that vacant positions were being filled with temporary workers.
Philadelphia is preparing to host several large-scale events next year in honor of America’s semiquincentennial, including the MLB All-Star Game, the PGA Championship, and the first and second rounds of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. The FIFA World Cup will also feature matches in Philadelphia next year.
These major events are expected to draw 500,000 visitors and generate an estimated $770 million impact on the local economy.
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https://www.phillytrib.com/news/local_news/strikes-begin-at-2-center-city-philadelphia-hotels/article_19345a7b-f195-40d0-aa2d-8c28d5ce248a.html