Thousands of Chicago hotel workers threaten to strike
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Workers picketing in the Loop last week.Photo: Courtesy of Unite Here Local 1
Thousands of Chicago hotel workers are threatening to strike if hotels don't meet their demands.
Why it matters: The union represents 15,000 workers at more than 40 Chicago hotels, meaning a widespread strike could disrupt hotel operations during a key time for tourism and conventions.
Catch up quick: By Aug. 31, contracts covering about 7,000 workers at Chicago hotels had officially expired, according to Unite Here Local 1.
- According to the union, 46 hotels either don't have a contract or their contracts expired, including the Ritz-Carlton, The Drake, Mag Mile Hilton, Hyatt, Sofitel and the Westin.
- Workers used the Labor Day holiday to gather in downtown Chicago to call attention to their demands.
Zoom in: Union members want better wages to keep up with inflation, health care benefits, pension, protection for immigrant workers and safer workloads, according to the union.
- "In a 2025 UNITE HERE Local 1 survey, 1 in 8 hotel workers reported using a food pantry in the last 12 months. A third lacked money to cover the cost of housing over the previous 12 months, and 1 in 4 resorted to using payday loans or other short-term loans," the union said in a statement.
The other side: "Hyatt has offered competitive wages and benefits, and all employees' wages and benefits remain unchanged as we negotiate a new agreement," Hyatt's head of labor relations Daniel Dring told Axios in a statement.
- "We have contingency plans in place to minimize the impact on hotel operations related to any possible labor disruption, and we respect our colleagues' rights to voice their opinions," Dring added.
- Hilton and Marriott did not respond to Axios' request for comment.
State of play: The union includes housekeepers, cooks, bartenders, bellmen, servers and dishwashers in Chicago and Northwest Indiana.
Flashback: The last significant hotel strike took place in 2018, when workers at 26 hotels picketed for nearly a month.
Zoom out: Organizations doing business with the affected hotels have vowed not to cross a picket line.
- The Chicago Foundation for Women said in a statement last week it would move next month's annual luncheon from the Hilton Chicago if workers and management cannot reach an agreement.
What's next: A Unite Here Local 1 spokesperson tells Axios that as of Tuesday, there's no deal with the hotels but negotiations continue.
- Hyatt's conversations with Unite Here Local 1 are slated to resume on Thursday, Dring, the hotel's spokesperson, said.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with a comment from Hyatt.