| In addition to the delegation of state and local politicians, Governor Charlie Baker said he would no longer hold his election night events at the Sheraton Boston. “We have been given word that Governor Charlie Baker has moved his election night operation out of the Sheraton Boston, one of the 7 Marriott-operated hotels where workers are on strike,” said UNITE HERE Local 26 President Brian Lang. “On behalf of Boston’s striking Marriott workers, I would like to thank our good friend Governor Baker for his leadership and act of solidarity with the striking workers.”
On Tuesday October 29, led by Congresswoman-elect Ayanna Pressley, and City Councilors Ed Flynn and Michelle Wu, local politicians plan gave Marriott management a letter urging meaningful movement at the negotiating table. Striking Marriott hotel workers have been out since October 3, sacrificing to win a new contract from the biggest and richest hotel company in the world.
Massachusetts and Boston politicians see striking Marriott hotel workers as “ambassadors for the Greater Boston area.” Their letter to President and CEO of Marriott, Arne Sorenson, states “Like all workers, they deserve to be paid a living wage and enjoy basic protections from unfair scheduling practices, sexual harassment, and other workplace abuses.” The letter continues, “We urge you to negotiate in good faith with the representing union, UNITE HERE Local 26, to reach a fair compromise that will end the strike and allow both parties to move forward amicably as soon as possible.”
Marriott is the largest and most profitable hotel chain in the world, but Boston’s Local 26 workers have been in contract negotiations since March as they fight to win basic job security, safer working conditions, and jobs that are enough to support their families.
On October 3, workers walked out at seven Marriott-operated hotels, including the Aloft Boston Seaport District, the Element Boston Seaport District, the Ritz-Carlton Boston, the Sheraton Boston, the W Hotel Boston, the Westin Boston Waterfront, and the Westin Copley Place. This is the first hotel strike in Boston’s history. The last time Local 26 workers went on strike was at Harvard in October 2016, when dining hall workers struck for 22 days and successfully settled a contract with the world’s richest university.
Marriott workers are also on strike in San Francisco, Detroit, San Jose, San Diego, Oakland, and Hawaii, totaling nearly 8,000 workers demanding that One Job Should Be Enough.
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October 29th, 2018
Arne Sorenson
President and CEO
Marriott International
10400 Fernwood Road
Bethesda, MD 20817
RE: Marriott Strike in Boston
Dear Mr. Sorenson:
We write to express our concern with the ongoing strike of Marriott hotel workers in Boston and to voice support for our constituents’ desire to provide for themselves and their families with fair earnings and benefits from one job.
Your employees who belong to UNITE HERE Local 26 are ambassadors for the Greater Boston area. Like all workers, they deserve to be paid a living wage and enjoy basic protections from unfair scheduling practices, sexual harassment, and other workplace abuses.
We urge you to negotiate in good faith with the representing union, UNITE HERE Local 26, to reach a fair compromise that will end the strike and allow both parties to move forward amicably as soon as possible.
We appreciate your attention to this important matter and look forward to a resolution in the very near future.
Sincerely,
Senator Elizabeth Warren Senator Edward Markey
Congressman Stephen Lynch
Congresswoman-elect Ayanna Pressley
Senator Joseph Boncore
First Suffolk and Middlesex
Senator Nick Collins
First Suffolk
Senator Sal N. DiDomenico
Middlesex and Suffolk
Representative Adrian Madaro
1st Suffolk
Representative Dan Ryan
2nd Suffolk
Representative Aaron Michlewitz
3rd Suffolk
Representative-Elect David Biele
4th Suffolk
Representative-Elect Liz Miranda
5th Suffolk
Representative Chynah Tyler
7th Suffolk
Representative Jay Livingstone
8th Suffolk
Democratic Representative-elect Jon Santiago 9th Suffolk
Representative Elizabeth A. Malia
11th Suffolk
Representative Daniel Cullinane
12th Suffolk
Representative Daniel Hunt
13th Suffolk
Representative Kevin G. Honan
17th Suffolk
Michael Flaherty
Boston City Council
At-Large
Annissa Essaibi George
Boston City Council
At-Large
Michelle Wu
Boston City Council
At-Large
Lydia Edwards
Boston City Council
District 1
Edward Flynn
Boston City Council
District 2
Frank Baker
Boston City Council
District 3
Andrea Campbell
Boston City Council
District 4
Timothy McCarthy
Boston City Council
District 5
Matt O’Malley
Boston City Council
District 6
Kim Janey
Boston City Council
District 7
Josh Zakim
Boston City Council
District 8
