Hotel workers in Waikiki and Kauai gear up for potential strike

HONOLULU (KHON2) — Hotel workers in Waikiki and Kauai are preparing for a potential strike after a historic vote authorized what could become the largest strike of Hawaii hotel workers in decades.

The vote, which took place on August 8, has set the stage for a showdown between workers and hotel management over pay and staffing issues.

UNITE HERE Local 5 is hosting a strike benefit card sign-up and picket sign-making event on Monday, August 26, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at their office on 1516 S. King St. in Honolulu.

This comes as workers at seven Waikiki hotels and one Kauai hotel—including the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort and Sheraton Kauai Resort—prepare for the possibility of walking off the job.

“We’re ready to strike if that’s what it takes,” said Surapee Sartrapai, a Bell Captain at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Sartrapai, who frequently apologizes to guests for service cuts and long wait times due to understaffing, criticized the hotel owners for profiting while workers struggle to make ends meet.

Recent data showed that while the U.S. hotel industry’s profits have surged by 26.63% since 2019, hotel staffing levels have dropped by 13%. In Hawaii, the average hotel room rate has risen by 33%, and revenue per available room has increased by 23% over the same period.

A survey of nearly 3,500 Local 5 members revealed that 73% of workers often have to make excuses for service shortcomings, while 78% feel their employers exploited the pandemic to cut jobs and benefits.

Rodney Nakashima, a maintenance worker at the Sheraton Waikiki, expressed frustration over rising living costs and the pressure to move away from Hawai‘i. “I’m ready to strike again, just like in 2018, because I want to ensure that tourism benefits locals, not just mainland bosses,” Nakashima said.

Similar worker actions are taking place across the U.S., with hotel workers in 10 cities, including Baltimore, Boston, and San Diego, authorizing strikes at major hotel chains like Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, and Omni.

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Shari Matsuda, an Accounting Clerk at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki, noted that many workers have already prepared for a strike by signing up for picket shifts and removing personal items from their lockers. “We’re tired of being ignored and disrespected,” Matsuda said.