Cambria Hotel Strikers Celebrate Choice Hotels’ Decision to Check Out of 16-Month Hotel Strike

Press Release
Jan. 31, 2020

Contact: 
Elliott Mallen, 312-656-5807, [email protected]
Marcos Feldman, 312-206-3407, [email protected]

Cambria Hotel Strikers Celebrate Choice Hotels’ Decision to Check Out of 16-Month Hotel Strike

Strikers hold picket line ribbon-cutting ceremony as strike continues at the Hotel One Sixty-Six

CHICAGO – Striking hotel workers at the Cambria Chicago Magnificent Mile are celebrating Choice Hotels International’s decision to check out of the hotel’s 16-month-long strike by removing the Cambria brand name from the property. Workers held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the hotel, renamed the “Hotel One Sixty-Six”, on Friday morning.

“Since the strike started, the hotel has lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in cancelled business and lost bookings,” said Sam Yolo, a bellman at the One Sixty-Six. “Who can blame Choice Hotels for checking out?”

Fillmore Hospitality, the hotel’s operator, refuses to sign a new contract without increasing workload for hotel housekeepers, a demand not agreed to at any hotel where workers walked out on strike in 2018.

“Why does Fillmore keep trying to put more and more work on us housekeepers?” asked Yolanda Garduño, a room attendant at the One Sixty-Six. “This is one sick, sick hotel.”

Hotel workers have been on strike since September 10, 2018. Originally part of 2018’s citywide hotel strike, the One Sixty-Six is the only remaining hotel on strike. The hotel is owned by the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System.

More information about the strike is available at www.Hotel166MagMileStrike.org.

UNITE HERE Local 1 represents over 15,000 hospitality and food service workers in the City of Chicago and surrounding area.

Chicago Hilton workers ratify new contract

Press Release
September 29, 2018

Contact: 
Elliott Mallen, 312-656-5807, [email protected]
Sarah Lyons, 312-385-0603, [email protected]

Chicago Hilton workers ratify new contract

New agreement ends strike at the Palmer House Hilton, the Drake Hotel, the Hilton Chicago and DoubleTree Chicago Magnificent Mile

CHICAGO, IL – Today hundreds of Hilton hotel workers ratified a new contract, ending the three-week strike at four more hotels. Workers at the Palmer House Hilton, the Drake Hotel, the Hilton Chicago and DoubleTree Chicago Magnificent Mile will return to work tomorrow.

15 hotels have settled contracts with UNITE HERE Local 1 since the citywide hotel strike began on September 7. The new contracts ensure that hotel workers will keep their healthcare if they’re laid off in the wintertime.

About 3,500 hotel workers are covered by new collective bargaining agreements that guarantee wintertime healthcare. Workers at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place and 9 other hotels are still on strike.

**Photos of Hilton workers at the contract ratification available here: http://bit.ly/2P0zi8G**

The following hotels have recently settled contracts with UNITE HERE Local 1:

  • Sheraton
  • W City Center
  • W Lakeshore
  • Westin Michigan Avenue
  • Westin River North
  • JW Marriott
  • Hotel Blake
  • Hotel Allegro
  • Hotel Palomar
  • Knickerbocker Hotel
  • Ritz-Carlton Hotel
  • Palmer House Hilton
  • The Drake Hotel
  • Hilton Chicago
  • DoubleTree Chicago Magnificent Mile

The list of hotels that are still on strike is available at www.ChicagoHotelStrike.org

Striking Hotel Workers to hold Magnificent Mile March

Press Advisory
September 13, 2018

Contact: 
Elliott Mallen, 312-656-5807, [email protected]
Sarah Lyons, 312-385-0603, [email protected]

Striking Hotel Workers to hold Magnificent Mile March

Workers to march down Michigan Avenue as citywide hotel strike nears one-week mark

Who: ​ Thousands of striking hotel workers from 26 downtown hotels and supporters

What:​​  Rally and march of striking hotel workers

Where: ​Rally at Ogden Park Plaza across from the Sheraton (300 E North Water Street), followed by a march north on the Michigan Avenue sidewalk, terminating at Michigan and Oak

When: ​​1:00PM, Thursday, Sept. 13

Thousands of hotel housekeepers, servers, cooks and doormen walked out on strike at 25 downtown convention and boutique hotels last Friday, and were joined by workers at a 26th hotel earlier this week.

Striking hotels include the Hyatt Regency Chicago, JW Marriott, Sheraton Grand, and Hilton Chicago. Union contracts with UNITE HERE Local 1 expired on August 31, 2018.

Striking hotel workers deserve year-round health insurance, sick days to see a doctor, workloads that keep them healthy, and wages that keep up with the cost of raising a family.

A full list of striking hotels is available at www.ChicagoHotelStrike.org.

UNITE HERE Local 1 Applauds Democratic Attorneys General Association for Moving Fall Conference to Show Support for Strike in Chicago 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
September 12, 2018

Contact: 
Elliott Mallen, 312-656-5807, [email protected]
Lizzie Ulmer, 269-271-2331, [email protected]

UNITE HERE Local 1 Applauds Democratic Attorneys General Association for Moving Fall Conference to Show Support for Strike in Chicago 

CHICAGO, IL – In response to the Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA) moving its Fall Quarterly Policy Program Conference from the JW Marriott to another location in Chicago to show support for workers, UNITE HERE and UNITE HERE Local 1 applauded the Democratic Attorneys General Association for its commitment to supporting workers.

“We applaud the decision of the Democratic Attorneys General Association to stand by the thousands of hospitality workers in Chicago and move their conference site,” said Karen Kent, President of Unite Here Local 1. “We are proud of our members who are making their voices heard this week in Chicago—and we are proud of the Democratic Attorneys General Association for listening.”

Thousands of Chicago hotel housekeepers, servers, cooks and doormen have stopped working and are on strike for year-round healthcare, workloads that keep them healthy, and wages that keep up with the cost of raising a family. Hotel workers are on strike at 26 downtown convention and boutique hotels. Some of the affected hotels include the Hyatt Regency Chicago, JW Marriott, Sheraton Grand, and Hilton Chicago. Union contracts with UNITE HERE Local 1 expired on August 31, 2018.

“Hotels may slow down in the wintertime, but I still need my diabetes medication when I’m laid off. Nobody should lose their health benefits just because it’s cold out. Full-time jobs should have year-round benefits,” said Q. Rivers, a house attendant at the Palmer House Hilton.

DAGA is the only committee dedicated to electing and supporting Democratic Attorneys General. The committee provides political and policy support to Democratic Attorneys General and candidates in their mission to protect civil rights, promote progress and diversity, fight corruption, and ensure the law is applied fairly for all of those that live and work in America.

This week, DAGA was slated to hold its Fall policy conference at the JW Marriott. After the news of the strike, the committee worked tirelessly with UNITE HERE to ensure that Democratic AGs, candidates, and staff would not have to cross a picket-line and ultimately, they moved locations.

Citywide Hotel Strike Grows to 26 Hotels

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 11, 2018 

CONTACT:
Sarah Lyons
(312) 385-0603
[email protected]

Elliott Mallen
(312) 656-5807
[email protected]

Citywide Hotel Strike Grows to 26 Hotels

Cambria Magnificent Mile workers walk off the job as strike enters Day 5

CHICAGO – Workers at the Cambria Chicago Magnificent Mile hotel are joining thousands of hotel workers on strike. Their walkout comes as the citywide Chicago hotel strike enters its fifth day and shows no sign of slowing.

Thousands of hotel housekeepers, servers, cooks and doormen walked out on strike at 25 downtown convention and boutique hotels last Friday. Affected hotels include the Hyatt Regency Chicago, JW Marriott, Sheraton Grand, and Hilton Chicago. Union contracts with UNITE HERE Local 1 expired on August 31, 2018.

Striking hotel workers deserve year-round health insurance, sick days to see a doctor, workloads that keep them healthy, and wages that keep up with the cost of raising a family.

A full list of striking hotels is available at www.ChicagoHotelStrike.org.

UNITE HERE Local 1 represents over 15,000 hospitality and food service workers in the City of Chicago and surrounding area.

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Downtown Chicago Hotel Workers Begin Strike

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 7, 2018 

CONTACT:
Sarah Lyons
(312) 385-0603
[email protected]

Elliott Mallen
(312) 656-5807
[email protected]

Downtown Chicago Hotel Workers Begin Strike

CHICAGO, IL – Thousands of Chicago hotel housekeepers, servers, cooks and doormen have stopped working and are on strike.

Hotel workers are striking for year-round health care.

“Hotels may slow down in the wintertime, but I still need my diabetes medication when I’m laid off. Nobody should lose their health benefits just because it’s cold out. Full-time jobs should have year-round benefits,” said Q. Rivers, a house attendant at the Palmer House Hilton.

“They work us like dogs when it’s busy and then kick us to the curb in the winter,” said Rivers.

Striking hotel workers deserve sick days to see a doctor, workloads that keep them healthy, and wages that keep up with the cost of raising a family.

Hotel workers are on strike at 25 downtown convention and boutique hotels. Affected hotels include the Hyatt Regency Chicago, JW Marriott, Sheraton Grand, and Hilton Chicago. Union contracts with UNITE HERE Local 1 expired on August 31, 2018.

A full list of striking hotels is available at www.ChicagoHotelStrike.org.

***Striking hotel workers and union spokespeople will be available for interviews all day beginning at 5:00AM on Friday at the Palmer House Hilton at 17 E Monroe or by request.*** 

***Spanish-language interviews will be available at the Sheraton Grand Chicago from 5:00AM until 1:30PM or by request. ***

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UNITE HERE Local 1 represents over 15,000 hospitality and food service workers in the City of Chicago and surrounding area.