Striking hotel workers in San Francisco are making waves as they attempt to disrupt a major healthcare conference. Housekeepers, cooks, dishwashers, and other union members are reaching out to attendees, warning them about the challenges and potential disruptions during the event.

"Hotel Workers' Strike: A Battle for Fair Treatment and Conference Success"

Striking Workers' Outreach

Housekeepers, cooks, dishwashers, servers, bartenders, and other members of Unite Here Local 2 are actively engaging with attendees of the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference. Ted Waechter, the union spokesperson, stated that 10,000 people attended the conference last year. The union first reached out to J.P. Morgan in late September, asking them to cancel. Now, they are reaching out to attendees directly, sharing concerns about services not covered and the overall experience during a strike.This is not just about the conference; it's about the workers' fight for affordable health care, better pay, and the restoration of staffing levels. Ester Yuliani, a buffet attendant at the Westin St. Francis, emphasized the importance of keeping union health care. She said, "I can't believe anyone who works in health care would try to cross our picket line when we are fighting to keep our insurance."

The Impact on Conference Venues

The Westin St. Francis Hotel, where the conference is held, is one of the primary venues affected by the strike. About 2,500 hotel workers are on strike at this hotel and several others in the area. Marriott International, which owns the Westin St. Francis, has not responded to requests for comment.Waechter pointed out that the hotels are trying to reduce labor costs. In 2018, 7,700 Marriott workers went on strike nationally, and this year, over 10,000 hotel workers have struck in eleven cities. San Francisco is the only city where workers are still on strike.

Union Demands and Past Struggles

The workers are asking for affordable health care, better pay, and a reversal of COVID-19 pandemic-era job cuts. They believe that these demands are essential for their well-being and job security.In the past, the workers have won significant victories in their strikes. They obtained wage increases, better health care, and protections against sexual harassment. This time, they are determined to stand firm and fight for their rights.

The Conference's Future

According to the Westin Saint Francis, the conference is still scheduled to go forward. However, Waechter believes that it will be difficult to hold the conference successfully with a large portion of the city's full-service hotel rooms on strike. The hotels are hiring temporary workers and redeploying managers to fill in the gaps, but it remains to be seen if this will be enough.The Hotel Council, which is not involved in the labor negotiations, is urging both sides to work together on a new contract. This shows that there is a need for dialogue and compromise to find a solution to the ongoing dispute.In conclusion, the strike by San Francisco hotel workers is having a significant impact on the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference and the hotel industry as a whole. It remains to be seen how this situation will unfold and if a resolution can be reached.