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Merits of Marriott Hotels Strike 2018

Old Oct 16, 2018, 2:12 am
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Merits of Marriott Hotels Strike 2018

Old Oct 23, 2018, 9:19 pm
  #106  
 
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Originally Posted by returnoftheyeti

Let me see if I can upload some strike photos
Thanks for sharing the pics!

That suggests the strike is starting to break down. Obviously, the picket line gets bigger when UNITE is issuing press releases and drawing media attention but these don't suggest much activity.
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Old Oct 23, 2018, 9:37 pm
  #107  
 
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Its stupid hard to edit/upload these on iPhones/ iPad, and I am to lazy to go get my laptop. The pictures, in order from top to bottom are the following :
Westin St. Francis around 800 am, they were pretty noisy
the next 3 are the same Westin at 19:15, much quieter, and you can see how many people are there.
The next 2 are from the Marriott Union Square at 8am. These guys were quiet
the second post is the Marriott Union Square at 19:15, it was deserted.
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Old Oct 24, 2018, 10:10 am
  #108  
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1) One of the agents that I have been emailing with (who is currently on strike) said to me: "I wish I could help and can’t wait to get back to work."

2) I was chatting with someone yesterday who does over 100 nights/yr at the Sheraton Waikiki (here for work) and she said Housekeeping who is currently making $22/hr is asking for a $3/hr wage increase. No idea if this is true.
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Old Oct 24, 2018, 11:13 am
  #109  
 
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Originally Posted by margarita girl
1) One of the agents that I have been emailing with (who is currently on strike) said to me: "I wish I could help and cant wait to get back to work."

2) I was chatting with someone yesterday who does over 100 nights/yr at the Sheraton Waikiki (here for work) and she said Housekeeping who is currently making $22/hr is asking for a $3/hr wage increase. No idea if this is true.
The Hawaii, Boston, and San Francisco locals have stated that the properties have offered the same historical pay increases under the existing contract but the union rejects that. They want larger increases and control over innovation. The San Francisco locals have stated they intentionally timed the strike to coincide with large conventions presumably to get leverage.
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Old Oct 24, 2018, 1:12 pm
  #110  
 
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Originally Posted by margarita girl
1) One of the agents that I have been emailing with (who is currently on strike) said to me: "I wish I could help and cant wait to get back to work."

2) I was chatting with someone yesterday who does over 100 nights/yr at the Sheraton Waikiki (here for work) and she said Housekeeping who is currently making $22/hr is asking for a $3/hr wage increase. No idea if this is true.
The $22/hr rate is true (it is mentioned often in local articles, like here). There is a lot of backlash from the local population to that, since it is fairly high pay for unskilled labor, especially since many people living in Hawaii are working jobs that require degrees and experience get paid less than that. Any time the strike has been mentioned in the local newspaper online, the comments section on the articles is pretty toxic and generally not supportive. Recently there was a piece in the Star Advertiser interviewing some of the workers (in particular, a couple both employed at the same hotel) who had worked there for years and they said they couldn't afford to raise their family with a few children. My personal opinion is that jobs like these should be stepping stones up - a motivator to increase your own skills. Those staying in the same unskilled labor position for years, I don't have much compassion when it comes to low pay. The real issue in my opinion is the high cost of living in Hawaii and the factors contributing to that, like the sky high cost of housing here, the lack of available affordable housing, poor public transportation options, etc. The San Francisco Bay Area definitely suffers from a lot of the same issues that the residents in Hawaii face. Throwing money at things may pacify people temporarily, but there are a lot of deeper issues that need to be solved.

There have been plenty of complaints from guests at the Kyo-ya properties about service. I feel bad for them, since a factor like this is not in their control it can really ruin a vacation they saved up for. The workers in Hawaii will be going back to the table soon with Kyo-ya, hopefully things are resolved soon.
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Old Oct 24, 2018, 2:16 pm
  #111  
 
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Originally Posted by eccentricfusion
The $22/hr rate is true (it is mentioned often in local articles, like here). There is a lot of backlash from the local population to that, since it is fairly high pay for unskilled labor, especially since many people living in Hawaii are working jobs that require degrees and experience get paid less than that.
And, of course, its not just $22 an hour, it also includes pension contributions and a decent healthcare plan, which can be as much as 50 percent more, which basically brings the fully loaded cost of a housekeeper to $75,000 a year.

Hawaii is, of course, an expensive place to live.
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Old Oct 31, 2018, 8:55 pm
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Originally Posted by catocony
You know this to be true....how? Have you questioned everyone picketing? Or are you just assuming that poor unskilled labor would never defend their rights and anyone protesting it must be outside agitators or disinterested randos being paid to protest? That's the usual anti-union belief, which is completely baseless.
A couple of other notes ... the Berkeley student papers have been pushing Berkeley students to participate which might account for the concerns being posted by some regarding the strike in Oakland.

And as to outsiders, the Democratic Socialist Labor Commission has been providing support for the picket lines and food: https://www.dsausa.org/statements/ds...e-at-marriott/

Also, the SF City Council wanted Arne to come take their questions (and his participation and answers would then have been used by the union to argue it was an unfair labor practice), but he refused stating under the unions current proposal, the hotels wage and benefit costs for a full-time housekeeper would reach $100,000 in the third year of the contract.

Marriott CEO speaks out about strike, rejects invitation to meet with city supervisors - by l_waxmann - October 31, 2018 - The San Francisco Examiner
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Old Nov 3, 2018, 8:23 pm
  #113  
 
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I was staying at a strike hotel and had a great conversation with a couple staff members who decided to come back to work and not strike.

Housekeepers make $28 an hours, they also get other benefits for picking up extra rooms, most get Overtime daily. Their health care in $10 a week, covers their entire family.
Bartenders are considered skilled labor and makes around $25 an hour plus about 400-600 a night in tips. WOW is all i can say.
Banquet servers, most make around $80,000 a year and don't have to work 40 a week. Those that called in for 3 hour or short shifts love it because tips are pooled. They can come in a week, work 20 hours and make around $75 an hour in tips. CRAZY!

To me, it seems a bit greedy that they want to make more and more and more.

The sad thing is that tipped employees, servers, bussers, those that make minimum wage get no benefit for this strike. They will continue to make minimum wage.

In regards to the MAGC, it doesn't take away from hours, housekeepers tend to like it because they get a credit for dropping off towels and simple things. less work

In regards to the sexual harassment, housekeepers had panic buttons but didn't like them so stopped wearing them. Marriott made an announcement months ago they are rolling out another program to help with sexual harassment, they don't understand why the union is bringing this up as they all know Marriott is taking care of it.

My biggest question is with 265,000 union members paying, i was told, $70 a month in dues, that over $18,000,000 in dues each month. How come the union can't pay the strikers more????

Anyone staying at a strike hotel i suggest talking to employees working, really opened my eyes.
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Old Nov 3, 2018, 8:48 pm
  #114  
 
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Sounds like the Westin Book Cadillac blinked: https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/...-book-cadillac

I walked by a few strike-ridden hotels in San Francisco this week. Wowweeee, the noise levels on the street are deafening.
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Old Nov 3, 2018, 9:08 pm
  #115  
 
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The press coverage in Honolulu has turned virtually non-existent lately - although, when I do head to Waikiki, the strikers are loud, so most of the stories are around the tourists being inconvenienced.

As noted above, housekeepers are very well paid by Honolulu standards for unskilled labor - and housing is far cheaper in Honolulu than San Francisco.
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Old Nov 4, 2018, 1:07 am
  #116  
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From my perspective:

I want automated check-in everywhere. Most of my trips are solo with no checked bags, and I'm a low-drama traveler. Ideally I would be able to go straight to my room and unlock it with my app.

If they need to verify identity, there could be a kiosk to scan ID and take a photo (or just a CLEAR kiosk similar to airports, as some sports stadiums have). It could be set up so that I wouldn't be told my room number and my app wouldn't be able to unlock any room in the hotel unless I finish the kiosk part.

I don't mind ordering food delivery on UberEats or whatever. It's simple enough and we're used to it (at least domestically). Going to street to get the food doesn't bother me, I have to do that in my condo building as well.

I do like hotel bars.

I don't understand the concern on safety and MAGC. They could still enter the room and quickly inspect it to make sure I'm not doing anything crazy, without cleaning it? It would take 60 seconds tops for most rooms.
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Old Nov 4, 2018, 9:38 am
  #117  
 
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Originally Posted by Xlr
From my perspective:

I want automated check-in everywhere. Most of my trips are solo with no checked bags, and I'm a low-drama traveler. Ideally I would be able to go straight to my room and unlock it with my app.

If they need to verify identity, there could be a kiosk to scan ID and take a photo (or just a CLEAR kiosk similar to airports, as some sports stadiums have). It could be set up so that I wouldn't be told my room number and my app wouldn't be able to unlock any room in the hotel unless I finish the kiosk part.

I don't mind ordering food delivery on UberEats or whatever. It's simple enough and we're used to it (at least domestically). Going to street to get the food doesn't bother me, I have to do that in my condo building as well.

I do like hotel bars.

I don't understand the concern on safety and MAGC. They could still enter the room and quickly inspect it to make sure I'm not doing anything crazy, without cleaning it? It would take 60 seconds tops for most rooms.
There is no safety concern for MAGC ... it's made up.

as for your other concerns, UNITE Here does not want you to have those options so the organizers have persuaded people to strike. Turnover in hotels is significant so any technological improvements will easily be handled through attrition and wont impact current employee. It could, however, impact the total number of employees so there wouldn't be as many new employees paying initiation fees or dues to the union. Curiously, when the SF Council had their hearings, they didnt ask union leaders if they were manipulating members or why they were opposed to innovation
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Old Nov 4, 2018, 9:57 am
  #118  
 
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So I was out on Powell street last night and the strikers are still in front of the Westin. I was not able to get a picture, but everyone was quiet. It honestly just looks like one more SF homeless camp like we have in SOMA. You just get numb to seeing it.

Can someone fill me in on the rules of the strike? I am pretty sure the hotels cant fire the workers? But are they allowed to hire replacements? Can they hire non-union replacements? It seems the hotels are doing OK, does anyone at any point just say “to hell with it and go back to work?” What happens to the Union if they cave? Can strikers cross the line?

So many questions.
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Old Nov 4, 2018, 1:50 pm
  #119  
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20s per hour is pretty good for housekeeping. I guess no need to tip

Maybe the more they get paid, the more Marriott will pay us for participating in MAGC

I guess if we just look at the short term numbers, hotel rates are really high right now. I can see the workers thinking "if you charge people $300 a night, why can't my share of that get bigger?" However, what goes up must come down. Can / do they do them so there is a component based on profit sharing or average room rate (or revenue per room per night kind of thing)?
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Old Nov 4, 2018, 7:32 pm
  #120  
 
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Originally Posted by username
20s per hour is pretty good for housekeeping. I guess no need to tip

Maybe the more they get paid, the more Marriott will pay us for participating in MAGC

I guess if we just look at the short term numbers, hotel rates are really high right now. I can see the workers thinking "if you charge people $300 a night, why can't my share of that get bigger?" However, what goes up must come down. Can / do they do them so there is a component based on profit sharing or average room rate (or revenue per room per night kind of thing)?

I think the real reality is, the more they get paid the more room rates will rise. The cost will always be passed onto the customer.
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