Hundreds of union members took to the streets of San Francisco for a Labor Day protest Monday that resulted in dozens of arrests.
More than 500 Marriott employees marched to demand better pay from the hotel giant. The group marched to the Marriott hotel in Union Square, where an estimated 75 protesters were arrested for blocking traffic on Powell Street.
The protesters waved signs that read "One job is not enough," arguing Marriott employees aren’t making enough money to keep up with the rising cost of living in San Francisco. Among the workers protesting were hotel room cleaners, dishwashers and bellmen.
"One job would be enough if these greedy corporations would share some of the wealth," one protester said, adding that many of the workers need a second job to keep up.
The workers announced they’ll be holding a strike vote soon, saying their contracts expired weeks ago and claiming Marriott is making negotiation nearly impossible.
"It took them four negotiations before they gave us a counter proposal, and then on the fifth negotiation, they gave us a proposal that is actually worse than what the union won five years ago," protester Nix Guirre said.
A Marriott spokesperson released the following statement Monday afternoon:
Local
"Marriott International’s strength is rooted in our core value of putting people first. We celebrate and thank our associates for their contribution on this Labor Day. We also respect our associates’ right to voice their opinions. Marriott International has longstanding and productive relationships with Unite Here and is negotiating in good faith and in a timely fashion to obtain the best outcomes for our associates and guests."
Editor's note: A previous version of this story referred to the incident as a walkout. The story has been updated.
