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 13, 2018, 2:44 am
#46
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: JRF
Programs: AA Gold, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, National Executive Elite
Posts: 1,784
What is the point of these strikes? Most of the employees are getting paid quite a bit especially if they've been around. Here in Honolulu local Starwood housekeepers make $22/hr *before* benefits (!) We have highly skilled workers that make less than that!
Does this have anything to do with the fact the union involved UNITE HERE is fairly rabid as far as unions go and this is some sort of national shill campaign? If there's anything I hated about unions when I was a member (before Janus, of course) is that it's most often not an honest arrangement where they're purely looking out for the interests of members. It's often some "social justice" ........, talking about how much the union bosses hate Jews and want to give money to terrorists, and all sorts of non-sensical virtue signaling that have nothing to do with the compensation and benefits of employees. And we wonder why these outdated labor cartels (often *unskilled* and easily replaceable labor, no less) are dying...
Does this have anything to do with the fact the union involved UNITE HERE is fairly rabid as far as unions go and this is some sort of national shill campaign? If there's anything I hated about unions when I was a member (before Janus, of course) is that it's most often not an honest arrangement where they're purely looking out for the interests of members. It's often some "social justice" ........, talking about how much the union bosses hate Jews and want to give money to terrorists, and all sorts of non-sensical virtue signaling that have nothing to do with the compensation and benefits of employees. And we wonder why these outdated labor cartels (often *unskilled* and easily replaceable labor, no less) are dying...
Oct 13, 2018, 5:42 am
#47
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: CLT
Programs: Marriott Plat, AA Gold
Posts: 1,076
I haven’t followed this too closely but I read the article about the Westin Book Cadillac in Detroit. It seems their main complaint is they want similar wages to those at the Renaissance a mile away. Doesn’t seem too unreasonable (and hey, with all the MR bashing can we point out that apparently a MR hotel was paying more than a former SPG one?)
Oct 13, 2018, 8:23 am
#48
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: PHL
Programs: AA ExP, Marriott Amb, National EAE, Hilton Diamond, SPG Plat (RIP), US CP (RIP)
Posts: 2,379
Around 10 percent of Hotel employees are unionized but it's obviously concentrated in places like Vegas, New York, Hawaii, San Francisco, and Chicago. Not sure there is a list of merit-based hotel properties. In terms of unionized properties, here is a website that shows those properties although it is only a list of hotels that unite describes as Fair:
https://www.fairhotel.org/hotels-search/states
https://www.fairhotel.org/hotels-search/states
what is the union status of any hotel I’m considering booking? Monitor my bookings and advise of any anticipated union activity.
Marriott doesn’t want joint management complications with the unions (understandably) but it seems most of this is coming from legacy SPG properties. Thought someone would have conducted better due diligence regarding SPG franchise contracts before Marriott bought Starwood.
Oct 13, 2018, 10:52 am
#49
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
New questions to ask my Ambassador...
what is the union status of any hotel I’m considering booking? Monitor my bookings and advise of any anticipated union activity.
Marriott doesn’t want joint management complications with the unions (understandably) but it seems most of this is coming from legacy SPG properties. Thought someone would have conducted better due diligence regarding SPG franchise contracts before Marriott bought Starwood.
Union contracts expire all the time although a union goal is to get many of them to expire at the same time, so that they can use it to apply more pressure.
I haven’t followed this too closely but I read the article about the Westin Book Cadillac in Detroit. It seems their main complaint is they want similar wages to those at the Renaissance a mile away. Doesn’t seem too unreasonable (and hey, with all the MR bashing can we point out that apparently a MR hotel was paying more than a former SPG one?)
Also, every article about this talks about "unsafe" working conditions because of MAGC. Seriously, how is it unsafe for a housekeeper because someone reuses their towels, doesn't have their bed made daily, etc.
It would be nice if these properties can get their service act together and be able to operate in an appropriate way through the strike. I don't want UNITE controlling innovation.
Oct 13, 2018, 1:04 pm
#50
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: California
Programs: Hyatt Global, Marriot Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 2,282
Where does it say the union want's to end MAGC bonuses and online checkin? It was my understanding that the hotel workers are asking for the properties earning record profits to share some of that by raising wages for the workers and using the MAGC as an example of why they are earning record profits.
Record profits don't last forever. Union entitlement does.
Last edited by JackE; Oct 13, 2018 at 2:09 pm
Oct 13, 2018, 1:35 pm
#51
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: PHL
Programs: AA ExP, Marriott Amb, National EAE, Hilton Diamond, SPG Plat (RIP), US CP (RIP)
Posts: 2,379
Keep in mind that some of these disputes aren't with Marriott. They are with the hotel operator. The union tries to get leverage and more attention by referencing Marriott which can generate more press coverage. For example, how much attention would they get if they announced they were striking with Kyo-ya, a hotel operator with five locations in Hawaii and one in San Francisco ....
It would be nice if these properties can get their service act together and be able to operate in an appropriate way through the strike. I don't want UNITE controlling innovation.
It would be nice if these properties can get their service act together and be able to operate in an appropriate way through the strike. I don't want UNITE controlling innovation.
In vendor management standard questions are 1) are you unionized? 2) when is the contract renewal date 3) what is your relationship with the union (good/fair/poor, strong/weak), and ultimately 4) what is your business continuity plan during labor disputes?
Their responses should be documented during contract negotiations with the franchisee and enforced similarly to brand standards. If the franchise can’t reliably execute their business continuity plan or don’t have one in place, is this really someone Marriott wants to do business with?
As someone else mentioned, unionized properties tend to be in larger metro areas and therefore a higher risk among legacy SPG properties. Marriott M&A team should have looked at SPG boilerplate franchise agreements, policies on “exceptions” to the boilerplate and enforcement history regarding business continuity plan execution.
Oct 13, 2018, 3:15 pm
#52
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,712
If I were running a union strike i’d be making a link between bedbugs and MAGC, online check-in and low wages. As with any political campaign the truth is irreverent, but just maybe those running the strike might have found having Marriott’s consumers onside could have been useful in getting an upper hand in negotiations.
Oct 13, 2018, 3:37 pm
#54
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Newton Centre, MA, USA
Programs: DL 2MM Gold, AA Plat Pro; Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium (via SPG), IHG Plat
Posts: 2,192
I'm confused about something. Various Marriott "Family" hotels in Boston are on Strike. But the Marriott Copley place does not seem to be. Also the following Marriott Family Hotels in Boston are listed on the FairHotels site:
Renaissance Boston Waterfront by Marriott
606 Congress St
Boston, MA 02210
617-338-4111
Website
Sheraton Commander (Cambridge)
16 Garden Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 547-4800
Website
Do these hotels have a different contract with the union? are non-union hotels? or what?
Renaissance Boston Waterfront by Marriott
606 Congress St
Boston, MA 02210
617-338-4111
Website
Sheraton Commander (Cambridge)
16 Garden Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 547-4800
Website
Do these hotels have a different contract with the union? are non-union hotels? or what?
Oct 13, 2018, 4:58 pm
#55
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
If I were running a union strike i’d be making a link between bedbugs and MAGC, online check-in and low wages. As with any political campaign the truth is irreverent, but just maybe those running the strike might have found having Marriott’s consumers onside could have been useful in getting an upper hand in negotiations.
I suspect you might find that hotels that aren't unionized are cleaner because its easier to fire housekeepers when their rooms fail audits.
I'm confused about something. Various Marriott "Family" hotels in Boston are on Strike. But the Marriott Copley place does not seem to be. Also the following Marriott Family Hotels in Boston are listed on the FairHotels site:
Renaissance Boston Waterfront by Marriott
606 Congress St
Boston, MA 02210
617-338-4111
Website
Sheraton Commander (Cambridge)
16 Garden Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 547-4800
Website
Do these hotels have a different contract with the union? are non-union hotels? or what?
Renaissance Boston Waterfront by Marriott
606 Congress St
Boston, MA 02210
617-338-4111
Website
Sheraton Commander (Cambridge)
16 Garden Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 547-4800
Website
Do these hotels have a different contract with the union? are non-union hotels? or what?
As for different contracts, unions have contracts with the operator of the hotel -- not the franchisor. Even if all of these hotels are managed by Marriott directly, they likely have contracts that expire at different times.
Oct 14, 2018, 2:10 am
#56
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,712
Oct 14, 2018, 1:06 pm
#57
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
Hard to explain why MAGC is unsafe for housekeepers ... which is a big part of their message. We oppose innovation isn't particularly compelling either. Hoping these properties will get their act together and prepare for the long run. Unite must feel like the chanting and drums aren't getting what they want so they were doing sit ins at SF intersections this week so they could get arrested for publicity purposes.
Oct 14, 2018, 1:40 pm
#58
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SoCal
Programs: AA EXP, HHonors LTDia, Marriott Plat
Posts: 639
Around 10 percent of Hotel employees are unionized but it's obviously concentrated in places like Vegas, New York, Hawaii, San Francisco, and Chicago. Not sure there is a list of merit-based hotel properties. In terms of unionized properties, here is a website that shows those properties although it is only a list of hotels that unite describes as Fair:
https://www.fairhotel.org/hotels-search/states
https://www.fairhotel.org/hotels-search/states
Oct 14, 2018, 2:37 pm
#59
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: CLT
Programs: Marriott Plat, AA Gold
Posts: 1,076
I think the argument is probably something to the effect of because the room hadn’t been cleaned for days, they don’t know what to expect and thus there is the potential that the guest left the room a mess and thus has the potential to be “unsafe.” Probably not much more likely than a guest that was only there for a night but possIble I guess.
Oct 14, 2018, 5:28 pm
#60
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: California
Programs: Hyatt Global, Marriot Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 2,282
Update:
1). I just walked by the Ritz-Carlton on my way to the Equinox gym in the building. There is a large crowd of picketers (they look like hacks from the union hall and not employees to me by the way). They are being very noisy and disruptive - using a megaphone, banging drums, etc. Despite a fairly well staffed picket line they were clearly expecting more - there are many, many signs sitting on the sidewalk in a stack with no one to hold them. I only saw one detail cop keeping a watchful eye. If you will be staying at one of the hotes
impacted be prepared to cross the picket line and be sure to try to get a room that does not face the picket line if you don’t want to listen to this.
2). The news reports are saying “Boston’s first hote
strike.” I didn’t go back to research this point but I don’t think it’s accurate. I seem to recall a strike in the late 70’s or 80’s.
1). I just walked by the Ritz-Carlton on my way to the Equinox gym in the building. There is a large crowd of picketers (they look like hacks from the union hall and not employees to me by the way). They are being very noisy and disruptive - using a megaphone, banging drums, etc. Despite a fairly well staffed picket line they were clearly expecting more - there are many, many signs sitting on the sidewalk in a stack with no one to hold them. I only saw one detail cop keeping a watchful eye. If you will be staying at one of the hotes
impacted be prepared to cross the picket line and be sure to try to get a room that does not face the picket line if you don’t want to listen to this.
2). The news reports are saying “Boston’s first hote
strike.” I didn’t go back to research this point but I don’t think it’s accurate. I seem to recall a strike in the late 70’s or 80’s.
I think that came very close to a strike but the hotels let themselves be bullied at the last minute.