On Friday in Kailua‑Kona, things got a lot quieter inside the Royal Kona Resort and a lot louder out front, as more than 150 employees walked off the job in a one‑day strike that union leaders say is about respect, stability, and keeping up with the cost of living.
The walkout, organized by UNITE HERE Local 5, pulled in housekeepers, cooks, maintenance staff, and bell attendants, union organizers said. The plan was to hold the line until 11:59 p.m., then head back to work at midnight. The stoppage is the latest flare‑up in contract talks that have dragged on since the agreement expired in February.
Local 5 said the picket line drew more than 150 hotel employees as negotiations stalled and core bargaining priorities went unresolved. The union framed the one‑day strike as a pressure tactic focused on staffing levels, job security, and pay, meant to crank up the heat on hotel negotiators, according to Big Island Now.
Workers say they want higher wages that keep pace with what other hotel staffers are making on the Big Island, clearer staffing guarantees, stronger job‑security language, and protections that would kick in during major emergencies, such as the COVID‑19 pandemic. “We love our jobs and take pride in welcoming our guests, but we are struggling to keep up with the cost of living,” said Maggie Larson, a housekeeper with 33 years of service. Those priorities and Larson’s remarks were reported by Hawaii News Now.
NLRB complaint and legal angle
On Oct. 30, Local 5 filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board, accusing Royal Kona management of failing to bargain in good faith. The board is investigating the complaint. Union leaders also say hotel management has tried to roll out unilateral changes to wages and working conditions while talks are still underway, a move they argue helped trigger both the filing and Friday’s strike, according to Big Island Now.
What’s next
Local 5 has cast the walkout as a short, sharp warning shot rather than the opening salvo of a prolonged shutdown. The union says it hopes the show of unity on the picket line nudges the hotel back to the bargaining table with more urgency to close the remaining gaps.
The walkout was first reported by the Honolulu Star‑Advertiser, which noted that, as of publication time, the resort had not issued any public response to the strike.
