stc

My thoughts on this is the hotels were already making tidy profits (see various articles like Boston Globe about this). Leave MAGC but guarantee the housekeepers the same number of hours as they had before. The hotels still save some money from less laundry and cleaning supplies. The housekeepers can use the extra time to do a better job cleaning the rooms that are cleaned or cleaning the common areas. The housekeepers aren't penalized.

stc

And not even everything in Boston. The Waterfront Renaissance is on the safe list. They are not actively striking the Copley Marriott AFAICT. The Sheraton Commander is on the safe list but that is probably an old franchise with a separate contract.

TrojanHorse

Thanks

I didn't see this thread until after I posted in the other thread

But its good to know for me anyway, that its a limited scope strike and that I'm not looking to stay in those specific properties

sethb

IIRC, the Book Cadillac is in a not-so-great area of Detroit. The Renaissance is in a neighborhood I was willing to walk around in to get dinner. It seems reasonable to me that a higher-priced hotel in a better neighborhood pays its staff more, and as a result has better employees (or at least first pick of them).

If I'm doing something such that I don't want Housekeeping to enter my room, I'll tell them not to enter the room (leave the DND sign out all day). Does anybody really believe that not getting 500 points would deter a potential terrorist?

yosithezet

The safety issues is around sexual harassment and assault of housekeeping staff.

Here is an example of what they are looking for. Chicago hotels roll out panic button systems to protect housekeepers from sexual harassment - Chicago Tribune

Segments

yosithezet

No clue. I'm just saying that this is what they are talking about when they say 'safety'. I haven't seen anything that points to them talking about terrorism.

C17PSGR

It doesn't. Just like MAGC isn't "dangerous," which is another one of their claims. I don't use MAGC because I mainly have one night stays but how is it more dangerous to change bedding and towels every three days under MAGC than to change towels and make a bed daily. It's just silly.

Antarius

I think they are separate issues. One issue is safety in general and one is reduced hours and shifts relating to MAGC and other initiatives.

One article I read is that some staff in SF are being scheduled 3 hour shifts; this is only what I read, I do not have any firsthand information. To commute 1+ hour each way for a 3 hour shift (which is likely given the cost of living in San Francisco) is hard and almost not worth it. On the flip side, some complaints are towards the rollout of automation - which is an unstoppable force that unfortunately, the day to day staff aren't going to get much input in.

As everthing, there is a middle ground. I am currently in a Marriott in SF with a picket line outside thats been there for 2 weeks. Marriott service is not up to par, the staff protesting are not getting paid and convention season is in full swing. Hopefully a solution that meets in the middle for everyone comes soon.

Antarius

We get it - at least I do. Typically this happens after standard collective bargaining has failed. 98% of the workers in SF voted to strike - which really caught me off guard.. usually there is some size of dissent. This was unanimous.. and given its going on 2 weeks, they aren't getting paid either. And yes, it sucks to have to deal with this as a consumer, it sucks to walk by people who feel this is a last resort late into the night and it sucks to see this continue for weeks on end.

The situation isn't ideal.. and hopefully it gets resolved soon. And I say all of this from a generally unsympathetic eye towards strikes - watched one too many ludicrous Air France strike happen; however reading some of the points here, there is some validity, especially with regards to short shift scheduling. Some claims aren't realistic too, so hopefully they hit the negotiating table hard soon.

Fizzer

I saw a post somewhere yesterday where the safety issue was related purely to the fact that the workload for individual housekeepers increases when cleaning a room that hasn't been cleaned for a number of days. As someone who works in worksite safety I would say there is some merit in the argument but it's not a particularly strong argument. I know that here in Saskatchewan at least, Housekeepers are allocated a certain time per room and a dirtier room might require longer. Of course if management recognized this and allowed more time per room then the savings would be less. Mind you, given the reduction in points cost for legacy SPG MAGC perhaps that would be fair. ( tongue firmly in cheek)

C17PSGR

Interesting note in the news from one of the union threads ... One of their negotiating points is they feel they are losing union work because people are using apps to order food rather than using room service. They want hotels to take greater efforts to ban delivery services from going to guest rooms.

Amelorn

To the lobby or to the room door, a club sandwich @ $20 + 10%-20% service charge + sales tax + $5 delivery fee (I wish I were kidding) cannot compete with a large pizza for $15.95 + $3 tip or whatever.

catocony

1) They're not goons. They are people who cook your food, clean your toilet, make your bed, empty your trash and pick up after you.

2) There is a picket line, which is legal. Individual customers can choose to cross the picket lines, just as employees can. If you find them loud, it's because you chose to sleep within earshot of their picket line.

3) Customers do have a dog in the fight. You're chosing to stay there, while the union is trying to stop you from staying there. Having chosen a side, you now have a dog in the fight.

JackE

Not violating the law?

Boston limits noise at ANY time to 70 decibels (exception is permitted construction). Source: https://www.boston.gov/departments/e...s-noise-boston

70 decibels corresponds to the sound of a hair dryer. Source: https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=MNBMkL6f&id=736A204AFADB 6B161DD9DB91F75B76466423148D&thid=OIP.MNBMkL6fsjMS WY5SmQBKdwHaEh&mediaurl=https%3a%2f%2fwjdrums.file s.wordpress.com%2f2015%2f10%2fdba-chart-png.png&exph=762&expw=1248&q=decibel+level+chart&s imid=608016605563783553&selectedIndex=5&qpvt=decib el+level+chart&ajaxhist=0