A strike has been authorized by San Francisco hotel workers. More than 9000 hotel workers are represented by UNITE-Here local 2. Ninety-two point three percent of those workers voted in favor of strike authorization at 31 upscale hotels. According to the union the hotels are seeking to increase workloads by cutting shifts and combining jobs. The hotels have also sought to shift more of the health care burden onto employees. Some of the hotel chains involved in the contract negotiations include Hyatt, Hilton, and Fairmont corporations.

By Doug Çunningham

UNITE-HERE has launched a national campaign to organize Hyatt, Hilton, and other hotels under their "Hope For Housekeepers" banner. California is one of the most active organizing fronts. According to UNITE-HERE, union hotel housekeepers in southern California earn $13-16 an hour with health care and pension benefits, roughly four dollars an hour more than non-union hotel housekeepers, who often also don’t have benefits.