Photographs by David Bacon
https://davidbaconrealitycheck.blogspot.com/2024/11/05-hotel-strikers-march-and-are.html
To see the complete set of photographs, click here.
An official statement by UNITE HERE Local 2 says the following:
Eighty-five striking hotel workers and supporters were arrested in San Francisco during a non-violent civil disobedience yesterday as widespread strikes continued to affect the U.S. hotel industry. Over 3,800 Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott hotel workers with the UNITE HERE union remain on strike in San Francisco and Honolulu. After months of contract negotiations, over 10,000 hotel workers across the U.S. have gone on strike since Labor Day weekend. About 650 Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott workers in San Jose have ratified or will vote today to ratify their new contracts.
The arrests in San Francisco were part of a protest calling on hotels to settle contracts and end weekslong hotel strikes by over 2,000 Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott workers. The workers are asking hotels to "Bet on SF" and invest in the city by reversing COVID-era staffing and service cuts. During negotiations in August, hotel workers offered to forgo most guaranteed wage increases and make their compensation contingent on future hotel profits if the hotels agreed to take proactive measures to boost San Francisco's recovery, like reopening restaurants that bring foot traffic downtown, staffing up on bellmen and doormen so there are more eyes on the street, eliminating controversial resort fees, and reversing service cuts so San Francisco hotels can provide the best possible experience.
"I take my job very seriously because I am the eyes and ears on the street, and I know that guests' experience of San Francisco depends on me," said Jacov Awoke, a doorman at Hilton San Francisco Union Square for 35 years who was arrested in the civil disobedience. "Unfortunately, understaffing has made it very difficult. For example, when I was short staffed on a shift and helping one guest, another guest's bag was stolen right in front of the hotel. I'm on strike because I want my hotel to invest in the city and the workers."
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