Hotel Workers Push Back Against COVID-Era Service Cuts, Demand Higher Wages and Daily Room Cleaning

Fatima Amahmoud faces the challenge of cleaning up to 17 rooms in a shift at the Moxy hotel in downtown Boston. The workload has become even more demanding due to a decline in daily room cleaning services, which has resulted in heavier tasks for housekeepers. With unionized workers advocating for the restoration of daily room cleaning, a dispute has arisen, symbolizing the struggle of hotel workers in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected low-wage women, particularly those from Black and Hispanic communities, who make up a significant part of the hotel workforce. The U.S. hotel industry, employing approximately 1.9 million people, is experiencing sharp staff shortages, particularly in housekeeping roles.

Unionized Workers vs Hotel Chains

The union representing more than 40,000 workers, UNITE HERE, is engaged in challenging contract negotiations with major hotel chains such as Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, and Omni. These negotiations revolve around demands for increased wages and the reversal of service and staffing cuts made during the pandemic. Strikes have been authorized in various cities across the United States, signifying the union's determination to bring about change. The working conditions of theater workers, particularly women of color, are viewed as undervalued compared to their counterparts in traditionally male-dominated industries.

The American Hotel and Lodging Association reports that 80% of member hotels are experiencing staffing shortages, with 50% citing housekeeping as the most critical area of need. The association emphasizes that wages for hotel workers have increased by 26% since the pandemic. Despite this, workers' experiences tell a different story, with many facing irregular hours and financial struggles. The union is striving to establish language in contracts that prevents hotels from encouraging guests to opt-out of daily room cleaning.

Despite the challenges, the U.S. hotel industry is recovering from the pandemic, with higher room rates and record guest spending per room driving its resurgence. However, the issue of reducing daily room cleaning services remains contentious, as hotels view it as a long-term strategy to address rising costs and a persistent labor shortage.

The hotel industry's recovery is marked by increased room rates and higher guest spending per room, leading to a rebound from the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the struggle over daily room cleaning services continues to be a point of contention, reflecting the tensions between worker demands for improved working conditions and the industry's cost-containment strategies.