Oct 16, 2018, 2:12 am
Last edit by: yosithezet
MODERATOR NOTE: While this thread exists for people to discuss the economics and merits of the Marriott strike, any discussion of the general merits of labor unions belongs in OMNI. Any posts which address other posters or characterise people using inflammatory language violates FlyerTalk Rules will be deleted without notice.
Contributions around the current atmosphere and service level at specific hotels can be found at https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marriott-starwood-ritz-carlton-new-consolidated-program/1916714-property-experiences-during-marriott-workers-strike-fall-2018-a-2.html
Contributions around the current atmosphere and service level at specific hotels can be found at https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marriott-starwood-ritz-carlton-new-consolidated-program/1916714-property-experiences-during-marriott-workers-strike-fall-2018-a-2.html
Merits of Marriott Hotels Strike 2018
Oct 9, 2018, 9:22 am
#16
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Plum Nelly
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy, Delta Sky Miles, and S&H Green Stamps
Posts: 636
Oct 9, 2018, 9:37 am
#17
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SLC/HEL/Anywhere with a Beach
Programs: Marriott Ambassador; AA EXP 3MM; AS MVP, Hilton Gold, CH-47/UH-60/C-23/C-130 VET
Posts: 5,234
Not sure what Arne or Marriott has to do with this. This is a strike by UNITE against certain franchisees with whom they have contracts. For example, the Palace and the Hawaii properties are all operated by Kyo-ya which has the franchise to operate five legacy SPG properties in Hawaii and the Palace. I'm not sure who operates the other legacy SPG or legacy Marriott properties involved in the strike.
What Kyo-ya does for its guests during a strike is up to Kyo-ya and they can decide what to do food wise, rate wise, or point wise. That's why they are a franchise and MI cannot get involved in their labor relations or it risks being deemed as a joint employer .... which is a bad thing! Only Kyo-ya can resolve this. One hopes they will not cave ... despite the guest disruption but that is what strikes are about. Maximize intimidation of customers and management to gain leverage. Unite occasionally does things like follow managers home ... picket outside their houses all night chanting ... and my favorite, follow people while they drop off their kids at school.
That doesn't change the disruption but the union claim that they are striking Marriott is untrue ... but it gets a lot more attention that "UNITE strikes Kyo-ya and other hotel operators."
We should all go picket UNITE
Oct 9, 2018, 11:09 am
#18
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 592
@timezone_trooper: You tried to steel their food? They shouldn't have gotten angry, they should have called the police and had you arrested for petty larceny.
Last edited by J S; Oct 9, 2018 at 11:13 am Reason: Edited to add: this was a reaction to timezone_trooper's post about steeling the picketer's food.
Oct 9, 2018, 11:18 am
#19
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: UK
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium Elite, UA 1K
Posts: 822
The W is definitely on the list. Based on my experience, you should stay somewhere else.
Here is the full list of affected hotels: https://www.marriotttravelalert.org/at-risk-hotels/
Here is the full list of affected hotels: https://www.marriotttravelalert.org/at-risk-hotels/
Oct 9, 2018, 11:28 am
#20
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: In between
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, SPG/Marriott Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 564
@timezone_trooper: You tried to steel their food? They shouldn't have gotten angry, they should have called the police and had you arrested for petty larceny.
I absolutely called, but not until I was coming back in and one of the picketers 1) made physical contact with me in an attempt to keep me from going in and 2) blew an incredibly loud rape whistle directly in my face. Fortunately, security stepped in and moved the guy back - but these people are literally crowding the entrance all the way to the front steps for those that are familiar with the property. Response from the police was useless at best, "We are monitoring the situation."
Oct 9, 2018, 11:31 am
#21
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 592
Also, to be clear, even if someone has committed some petty crime (let's say they littered or did violate a noise ordinance--which I did not see any picketer do), that does not grant me the right to steel from them.
Last edited by J S; Oct 9, 2018 at 11:46 am Reason: Clarification
Oct 9, 2018, 12:06 pm
#22
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SLC/HEL/Anywhere with a Beach
Programs: Marriott Ambassador; AA EXP 3MM; AS MVP, Hilton Gold, CH-47/UH-60/C-23/C-130 VET
Posts: 5,234
No, I did not. Mostly because the picketers were not violating any law. They respected the noise curfews in Boston, did not threaten or harass (in the legal sense) anyone and respected all laws to the best of my knowledge.
Also, to be clear, even if someone has committed some petty crime (let's say they littered or did violate a noise ordinance--which I did not see any picketer do), that does not grant me the right to steel from them.
Also, to be clear, even if someone has committed some petty crime (let's say they littered or did violate a noise ordinance--which I did not see any picketer do), that does not grant me the right to steel from them.
Of course, the practical issue is that the police in Boston and San Fran are both unionized so they won't enforce the law against the unions.
Oct 9, 2018, 12:48 pm
#23
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 592
Well wouldn't this "The picket line is EXTREMELY LOUD and woke me up at 7am each morning (despite being a dozen floors up). You can hear the drumming on 5 gallon buckets from blocks away." violate noise laws? It would likely also violate OSHA regs which is an interesting issue with the union violating safety requirements.
Of course, the practical issue is that the police in Boston and San Fran are both unionized so they won't enforce the law against the unions.
Of course, the practical issue is that the police in Boston and San Fran are both unionized so they won't enforce the law against the unions.
This is getting way off topic. Let's bring it back to questions of Marriott Hotels, points etc., including which hotels are impacted and whether we recommend that our fellow FTers look for other options given the current realities. This is not where we are going to resolve political views regarding organized labor or the appropriateness of strikes as a tactic to resolve disputes.
Last edited by J S; Oct 9, 2018 at 1:33 pm Reason: We are getting way off topic.
Oct 9, 2018, 1:56 pm
#24
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,894
Here is the web site (administered by the union) with a list of hotels on the “strike list.”
https://www.marriotttravelalert.org/at-risk-hotels/
Given the wide variety of ownership structures and management contracts, not every Marriott hotel will be on the same contract cycle, and many are non-union. I wouldn’t expect Marriott to proactively rebook people out of these hotels as it would upset hotel owners. With the Marriott/Starwood merger, the union is taking the opportunity to make headlines with a coordinated strike nationwide.
https://www.marriotttravelalert.org/at-risk-hotels/
Given the wide variety of ownership structures and management contracts, not every Marriott hotel will be on the same contract cycle, and many are non-union. I wouldn’t expect Marriott to proactively rebook people out of these hotels as it would upset hotel owners. With the Marriott/Starwood merger, the union is taking the opportunity to make headlines with a coordinated strike nationwide.
Oct 9, 2018, 8:47 pm
#25
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SLC/HEL/Anywhere with a Beach
Programs: Marriott Ambassador; AA EXP 3MM; AS MVP, Hilton Gold, CH-47/UH-60/C-23/C-130 VET
Posts: 5,234
Thanks for the tip.
Side note, since I've effectively loss my breakfast platinum amenity due to the strike, is it reasonable to ask for some sort of compensation for this as well? I realize this is techically a "free" benefit that comes with my status, maybe a stretch?
Side note, since I've effectively loss my breakfast platinum amenity due to the strike, is it reasonable to ask for some sort of compensation for this as well? I realize this is techically a "free" benefit that comes with my status, maybe a stretch?
Oct 9, 2018, 9:08 pm
#26
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: YVR
Posts: 1,082
Oh right, I've never chose this option, and completely forgotten about it.
Would it be too cheeky of me to ask for the 1000 points, considering I've already gotten the breakfast benefit for a few nights, prior to the strike occurring?
Would it be too cheeky of me to ask for the 1000 points, considering I've already gotten the breakfast benefit for a few nights, prior to the strike occurring?
Oct 9, 2018, 9:26 pm
#27
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SLC/HEL/Anywhere with a Beach
Programs: Marriott Ambassador; AA EXP 3MM; AS MVP, Hilton Gold, CH-47/UH-60/C-23/C-130 VET
Posts: 5,234
I think it's perfectly reasonable. I'd think the hotels would want to do something to encourage guests and drive loyalty amidst a disruption.
Oct 9, 2018, 9:43 pm
#28
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,404
The W is definitely on the list. Based on my experience, you should stay somewhere else.
Here is the full list of affected hotels: https://www.marriotttravelalert.org/at-risk-hotels/
Here is the full list of affected hotels: https://www.marriotttravelalert.org/at-risk-hotels/
Does anyone have a list of Starriotts that do not have this union?
Oct 9, 2018, 10:15 pm
#29
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SLC/HEL/Anywhere with a Beach
Programs: Marriott Ambassador; AA EXP 3MM; AS MVP, Hilton Gold, CH-47/UH-60/C-23/C-130 VET
Posts: 5,234
unite is the Union at most hotels in the US that are unionized. So no getting away from them other than staying at non-union hotels. This is not a broad attack on Marriott. The union simply has a number of contracts at a handful of operators that are expiring at the same time. They are seeking to Leverage these issues by making it look like it has something to do with Marriott. If you look at their hotel list, it is Westin by Marriott, W by Marriott, Etc.
Oct 9, 2018, 10:24 pm
#30
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,404
OK then I'll change my question to a request for a list of Starriott hotels in North America that aren't unionized.