If you were in college over the past 20 years or so, you might have some fond — and not so fond — memories of Megabus. The blue double-decker buses with power outlets that worked most of the time and WiFi that worked rarely have for years been an important, if imperfect, way for budget-conscious travelers to get from point A to point B. The trip wasn't always pretty — you often got plopped in front of an obnoxious phone talker or wound up traumatized by the bathroom — but in general, you got where you needed to go for a good price.
Why Thousands of Hotel Workers Are on Strike
02.09.2024 - 20:04 / nytimes.com / Gwen Mills
Few industries were disrupted as drastically by the Covid pandemic as the hospitality sector. Now, as travel has bounced back to prepandemic highs and Covid precautions have fallen by the wayside, thousands of hotel workers say they are still suffering from the lower wages and higher workloads that the pandemic period ushered in.
Some 10,000 workers, including housekeepers, front-desk staff and servers, went on strike across the United States on Sunday after contract negotiations stalled. On Monday, nearly 300 hotel workers joined the strike in Baltimore on the busy Labor Day holiday weekend.
The hotel workers are calling for higher wages, as well as the reversal of Covid-era staffing and service cuts. Housekeeping in particular has emerged as a key issue. During the pandemic, the union said, many hotels cut staffing and guest services like daily housekeeping and room service, which caused some workers to lose income and also created a heavier workload for the remaining workers.
A number of hotels have made those changes permanent to cut costs, only offering daily housekeeping upon request. But some housekeepers say that stripping away more frequent cleanings can make the cleaning at the end of stays much more arduous and time-consuming.
Union workers would not accept a “new normal” of cutbacks to services for hotel guests, Gwen Mills, international president of UNITE HERE, the union that represents the workers, said in a statement. “The hotel industry has rebounded from the pandemic, and room rates are at record highs,” she said.
They also say that, after enduring years of disruption from the pandemic, their wages have not kept pace with the cost of living. Housekeepers at the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor hotel, for example, are asking for a raise from $16.20 an hour to $20 an hour.
UNITE HERE said workers are now on strike at 25 hotels in nine cities: Baltimore; Boston; Greenwich, Conn.; Honolulu; Kauai, Hawaii; San Diego; San Francisco; San Jose, Calif.; and Seattle. The hotels include some Hilton, Hyatt, Fairmont and Marriott properties.
The strikes in each city were expected to last one to three days, according to the union. The hotels said they would remain open and had contingency plans in place to mitigate the impact on travelers.
Hyatt’s head of labor relations, Michael D’Angelo, said in a statement that the company was “disappointed that UNITE HERE has chosen to strike while Hyatt remains willing to negotiate.” He added that they “have offered competitive wages, health care and retirement benefits at the hotels that are on strike at this time.”
A Hilton spokesperson said that the company was “committed to negotiating in good faith to reach fair and reasonable agreements.” Marriott and
The website maxtravelz.com is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.
Top Autors
Popular Topics
travelpulse.com
10.09.2024 / 22:09
I'm an Avid Traveler: Here's Why I Am Flying Far Less Than Ever
I became a travel writer for the same reason many people do: I'm an avid traveler and have been for as long as I can remember.I love nothing better than to get as far off the beaten path as possible, immersing myself in nature or having genuine interactions with people from other cultures.My earliest travel memories are of my mother taking me on adventure-filled, cross-country trips each summer during middle school. We would pack up her van and the two of us would hit the open road, leaving behind our small apartment in upstate New York to spend weeks exploring each and every one of the national parks throughout America’s southwest.Zion. Check.Arches National Park.
insider.com
10.09.2024 / 18:35
I visited a $600, women-only summer camp for adults that's skyrocketed in popularity — see why it had a 60,000-person waitlist
During a typical summer afternoon, Camp IHC, nestled in Pennsylvania's Endless Mountains, accommodates more than 600 youth campers.
thepointsguy.com
10.09.2024 / 17:23
Here's why this fall is such a good time to book a flight
It's the most wonderful time of the year ... for airfare.
skift.com
10.09.2024 / 17:11
Ask Skift: Why Are Travel Brands Investing in Experiences?
A growing number of travelers have shown a preference for spending more money on experiences than possessions, and the travel industry has paid close attention to that shift. Skift Research’s Venture Investment Trends in Travel 2024 report revealed the experiences sector was one of the few in travel to see an increase in venture capital investment.
nytimes.com
10.09.2024 / 11:29
Your Hotel Is on Strike. What Should You Do?
Over the busy Labor Day weekend, at least 10,000 unionized front-desk workers, housekeepers and other employees at dozens ofhotel properties across the country walked off the job after failing to come to an agreement in contract negotiations.
thepointsguy.com
08.09.2024 / 14:34
US-China flights are a quarter of what they were pre-pandemic — here’s why
China was a booming opportunity when United Airlines launched flights to Chengdu a decade ago.
insider.com
08.09.2024 / 13:10
I've saved thousands on travel this year by maximizing points and miles. But there are lots of things I wish I'd known when I first started.
Points and miles have helped me travel more (and better) this year. In fact, I've already saved thousands of dollars, and it's only September.
insider.com
07.09.2024 / 15:56
The creator of the viral Dubai chocolate bar says it's changed her life. After tracking down 3 different versions in NYC, I understand why.
It all began, as most things do these days, with a viral video on TikTok.
euronews.com
06.09.2024 / 23:57
Rome wants to charge tourists to visit the Trevi Fountain - here’s why
Rome could soon launch a ticketing system to enter one of its most iconic sites.
thepointsguy.com
06.09.2024 / 21:13
Why the Venture X is a mainstay in my wallet
I'll admit it — I'm addicted to premium travel rewards cards. Most people choose just one or two of the most popular top-tier cards — such as The Platinum Card® from American Express, Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card — but I have all three.
travelandleisure.com
06.09.2024 / 20:11
Score Up to 15,000 JetBlue Points When Booking a Stay at These Hotels
Booking a hotel stay just got more rewarding with JetBlue’s latest promotion, helping travelers score potentially up to 15,000 points for their next flight. “Watch your TrueBlue points reach new heights as an IHG One Rewards member,” IHG Hotels shared about the promotion on its website. “Register to earn 1,000 bonus TrueBlue points for a 1 – 2 night stay and 3,000 bonus TrueBlue points for stays of 3 or more nights at select IHG Hotels & Resorts.