HONOLULU — Officials are worried a strike involving about 2,700 Marriott hotel workers in Hawaii could continue into next year.
The strike, which calls for higher wages, better benefits and safer working conditions, began last Monday and continued through the end of the week, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported.
Negotiations between Unite Here Local 5 and Kyo-ya Hotels &Resorts, which owns the Marriott-managed Sheraton Waikiki, The Royal Hawaiian, Westin Moana Surfrider, Sheraton Princess Kaiulani and Sheraton Maui, reached an impasse Monday.
The union has contracts expiring this year at 20 hotels but no bargaining will begin at other properties until workers get a contract from the largest hotel employer, Local 5 spokeswoman Paola Rodelas said.
With so many Local 5 contracts pending, it’s hard to predict the strike’s duration or if it will grow to include other properties.
Workers at the Sheraton Kauai Resort and the Marriott Waikiki Beach Resort &Spa, which are operated by Marriott, not Kyo-ya, also have voted to authorize a strike. The 640-plus union workers at these properties “could walk out at any time,” Rodelas said.
The state Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism projects Hawaii could achieve its seventh consecutive record-setting year in tourism. But tourism officials say a union strike, especially a protracted one, would only add to a dampening in tourism that began in June.
A bigger concern than the strike-related cancellations that are hurting tourism now is the potential for the labor dispute to curb next year’s bookings, said Keith Vieira, principal of KV &Associates, Hospitality Consulting, who was formerly a top executive at Starwood Hotels &Resorts, which once managed the Kyo-ya properties.
“We’ll still probably finish 2018 ahead of 2017 because the beginning of the year was so strong,” he said. “However, the booking pace in the fourth quarter is considerably behind last year and specials are emerging in the market. That will carry over and automatically soften the first quarter, which is a worry given that the first quarter often sets the pace for the year.”
Jack Richards, president and CEO of Pleasant Holidays LLC, had predicted Hawaii would break a benchmark 10 million arrivals this year. Now, he’s not so sure.
“We’ll still probably come in at 9.7 million or 9.8 million tourists for the year, but I don’t think that we’ll hit 10 million visitors anymore,” Richards said. “We’ve had volcanoes, hurricanes, floods and now union issues.”
Kyo-ya declined to comment on the strike Saturday, but Local 5 said the company still not offered new bargaining dates.
Guests staying at properties where workers are striking have been dealing with long check-in lines, restaurant closures and cutbacks to valet parking, housekeeping and other services.
Economic extortion from a union, what a surprise.
How much do they really need a raise if they can take so much time away from work to strike?
“the life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.” is the State motto.
The state Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism projects Hawaii should pay heed to this important principle.
100,000 to make a bed
Well yeah, pay up a living wages – according to Trump the US economy is booming. Gas prices are reaching 4 bucks and the inflation has reached levels between 15-20%.
What is the living wage?
106,000K a year
What happens to the guy that currently makes 106,000k a year, does he get a raise to 200,000 a year? Does living wage mean I get two BMW’s in the driveway and brand new toys the minute they come out? People often think they need or deserve more because someone else has it. The living wage thing is never ending, it’s like welfare. More money will only make people want more for nothing.
Inflation 15-20%, you are a retard.
Liberals are allowed to toss out any outradeous statement they want. Like “All studies show” and “We all believe”
Emotion tumps reality with these creatures.
Many of these workers start at $20+ an hour not including tips. There are people making up to six figures as bellman. Many make more than their managers and have better benefits.Its hard to pay more to hourly employers than their managers. I’m a college educated Hawaii resident, My pay is about the same as their starting pay, I work hard , and I do my job but I don’t walk off the job. My customers comes first. Its a free country, if you are not happy, go somewhere else. Most cant because these are the best paying jobs on the islands…makes you numb to their demands when other people, many other people in Hawaii make less. I’m not defending big corporations either. This is a global issue, corporations giving execs huge wages building bigger wage gaps from lower paid workers. This is not a local issue. Guests are furious, most are not mad at hotels but at the people who claim to have Aloha and hospitality but instead they bang pots, chant, and ruin their peaceful vacations for them when all they want is to enjoy Hawaii. Face it, these companies will raise prices if they have to raise pay. No one wins. How much do you really need? Society as a whole is is greedy. Do you need the newest car, the most high-tech phone, a double cappuccino every morning? Get back to serving our guest, It’s Aloha people.