Hotel workers at two of Boston's busiest Hilton hotels, the Hilton Boston Park Plaza and Hilton Boston Logan Airport Hotels, initiated an open-ended strike today. The strike, representing nearly 600 workers who are part of UNITE HERE Local 26, signals an escalation in the labor dispute, which has been brewing since contract negotiations began in April. Workers are demanding significant wage increases and sustainable workloads.
"Hotel workers are fed up with the disrespect from an industry that is netting billions in profits off their labor," Carlos Aramayo, President of UNITE HERE Local 26, said in a statement obtained by Boston 25 News. The strike includes room attendants, housepersons, front desk agents, and various other staff. In the confrontation with the hotel's management, workers have decided to maintain picket lines outside the hotel entrances around the clock, every day of the week.
This labor action follows a previous citywide strike authorization vote that affected 36 Boston properties with contracts that expired on August 31, 2024. The ongoing strike differs from the earlier limited-duration hotel strikes. According to information shared by WHDH, the workers have firmly stated that they will not return to work without a new agreement.
The impasse is palpable, as workers underscore the significance of their labor and demand recognition in kind. "Local 26 hotel workers love their jobs and take great pride in providing hospitality to guests. They would rather be at work. Going on strike is not an easy decision, but the workers are ready to fight for a contract that will enable them to take care of their families and retire with dignity," Aramayo conveyed to Boston 25 News. No new negotiations are currently scheduled as the workers and the hotels remain at loggerheads over contract terms.
As the situation develops, the implications are set to ripple through Boston's hospitality landscape. Observers and guests can see picketers outside the Park Plaza and Logan Airport Hilton, a testament to a labor movement determined to shape its own destiny.
