Hawaii: Hotel Workers Expect a Long Strike

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Hotel workers from the Hilton Hawaiian Village local union 5 members went on strike on September 24, 2024. According to several union members, the strike will be open-ended, meaning it will continue until the union reaches an agreement with Hilton Hawaiian Village.

Park Hotel and Resorts is a publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns the Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort in Waikiki. That means the company's primary responsibility is to its shareholders. As of the close of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on September 24, 2024, Park Hotel and Resorts' stock price closed at $15.17 per share.

The company has a lot of interest in retirement funds across the nation. It means everything that affects Hilton Hawaiian Village affects Park Hotel and Resorts. And everything that affects Park Hotel and Resorts affects their shareholders.

It's safe to say the owners of Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki, Parks Hotel and Resorts, have deep pockets. The 1800 Hilton Hawaiian Village union workers who went on strike will eventually reach an agreement.

However, if the union leadership advises striking until an agreement is reached, Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort in Waikiki will win that battle. If the strike is open-ended, the union workers will lose more than the company. Their parent company, Park Hotel and Resorts, has an obligation to their stockholders.

Final Thoughts

Park Hotel and Resorts, Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort's parent company, has deep pockets.

The hope is that Local 5, representing the 1800 workers, will put the workers' interests over the union's leadership interest. An open-ended strike, as some of the union workers suggested, will not end well for many of the 1800 hotel union workers.