Thousands of Hawaii hotel workers walk off the job to strike

HONOLULU (KHON2) — Ten-thousand hotel workers across the nation are on strike this Labor Day weekend including thousands in Hawaii who walked off the job early Sunday morning.

UNITED HERE Local 5, a union representing hospitality workers said Sunday’s strike was the largest in the industry since 1990. Thousands of Hawaii hotel workers marched across the streets and in front of their workplaces to send a unified message.

“This is as much about our ability to provide for ourselves and our families as it is about saving our hospitality industry,” stated Cade Watanabe, Local 5 Financial Secretary Treasurer. “We need tourism to work for workers.”

Contract negotiations have been ongoing since April yet no agreements have been reached. Concerns demanded by workers included wages that keep up with inflation and the cost of living, proper staffing and fair workloads, and the reversal of COVID-era cuts in guest services.

“It’s embarrassing. It feels insulting to us because even if we do our best to do the right service, great service to the guests, yet it feels like it’s nothing to them,” said Lourdes Maquera whoʻs been a housekeeper for the Royal Hawaiian for the past 14 years.

The strike impacts seven hotels in Waikiki and one on Kaua‘i: The Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort, Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa, Moana Surfrider – a Westin Resort Spa, The Royal Hawaiian, A Luxury Collection Resort, Sheraton Princess Kaiulani, Sheraton Waikiki, Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, and the Sheraton Kauai Resort.

“It definitely feels like there’s a very severe degree of corporate greed and they want to keep as much of the profits while cutting back as much services and staff as possible,” stated Todd Yokoyama, Hyatt Regency Waikiki Valet worker.

KHON2 has reached out to the four major hotel groups including The Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton and Kyo-Ya for a response.