Dive Brief:
- Union workers at the Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown went on strike Sunday, according to hospitality union Unite Here Local 274.
- The hotel workers are demanding a new union contract that includes a $30 per hour minimum wage and improved benefits, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported Sunday. Union leaders did not respond Monday to a Hotel Dive request for additional information.
- The strike comes as FIFA World Cup matches are being played this month and next in Philadelphia and elsewhere in the U.S. Last week, hotel workers in Seattle went on strike at an Embassy Suites adjacent to the city’s Lumen Field.
Dive Insight:
The Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown employees launched the strike after their contract with the Marriott-branded, Aimbridge Hospitality-managed hotel recently expired, according to Unite Here Local 274. In addition to wage increases, the union is bargaining for healthcare coverage for workers’ family members and a reduction in the daily quota for housekeeping staff, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
In a statement to Hotel Dive, the Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown said: “We respect our team members’ rights to engage in legally protected activities and look forward to reaching a fair contract. While discussions are ongoing, we remain committed to ensuring our guests enjoy their stay.”
The strike came the day before France and Iraq faced off in a World Cup match at Philadelphia Stadium.
Additional labor disputes are possible in Philadelphia at other hotels where labor contracts recently expired, including the city’s Hilton Garden Inn Center City, The Warwick Hotel Rittenhouse Square and Four Points by Sheraton Philadelphia Northeast, per Unite Here Local 274. Hotel industry leaders previously expressed concern that union strikes across the U.S. could disrupt business during the tournament.
Across the country, hospitality workers strikes are possible in World Cup host cities including Miami, according to Unite Here. Hotel strikes in New York City, though, were averted last month when the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council ratified a historic wage contract with the Hotel Association of New York.
The ongoing strike at Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown comes after workers there walked off the job in October, calling for higher wages, pension increases and improvements to healthcare coverage.
