Weeks following continuous strike by Marriott hotel employees across the country, San Francisco board of supervisors will meet Friday for a hearing over the contract dispute between workers and the international hotel chain.
Hundreds of Marriott workers marched through the streets for San Francisco in the afternoon and filled City Hall for the hearing, holding signs that read "One Job Should Be Enough." San Francisco city officials called the urgent hearing on Marriott as a strike by 2,500 San Francisco Marriott workers enters its fifth week.
Supervisor Hillary Ronen said that the strike has a lot of impact on the workforce and the economy in San Francisco. Ronen also said that the CEO of Marriott declined the invitation to attend Friday's meeting.
"The least the CEO can do, after making millions and millions of dollars in our city, is show up and speak from Marriots' perspective about why the strike is so long lasting and what are the issues at the bargaining table that they are not able to reach an agreement," Ronen told reporters.
#SF Supervisor @HillaryRonen on her invitation to Marriott CEO that was declined ahead of special session on workers’ strike: “The least the CEO can do...after making millions and millions of $ in our city...is *show up* and speak from @Marriott’s perspective.” @nbcbayarea pic.twitter.com/Dl2dgod4ym
— Sam Brock (@SamNBCBayArea) November 2, 2018
At #SF City Hall right now, hundreds of striking hotel workers just arrived. Organizers say 700 or 800 of them, maybe 1,000, will cram into the hallways of the building ahead of #BOS special meeting. Stay tuned pic.twitter.com/lKz3s3WYxv
— Sam Brock (@SamNBCBayArea) November 2, 2018
Hallways starting to fill up next to #SF Board of Supervisors chambers as @Marriott hotel employees prepare for special meeting at 12:30 to discuss ongoing, month-long contract dispute. So far very calm and orderly. pic.twitter.com/PTS5OrCZir
— Sam Brock (@SamNBCBayArea) November 2, 2018
San Francisco workers are among nearly 8,000 workers that have walked off jobs at Marriotts from Boston to Honolulu. Marriott is the world's largest hotel operator.
Marriott has been issuing the same statement on the countrywide strikes, saying: "While we respect our associates’ rights to voice their opinions and participate in demonstrations and this work stoppage, we are disappointed that Unite Here has chosen to resort to a strike.
"We continue to believe that the best place to resolve these issues is at the bargaining table. We remain committed to negotiating in good faith to reach a fair contract for all parties. We will welcome any associate who chooses to continue to work," the statement continued.
The union says workers are seeking better compensation to keep up with soaring housing and living costs. They're also concerned about new technologies that may replace their jobs.
Meanwhile, 200 members of the Oakland Marriott workers union have reached a tentative agreement, a union official said. Workers are scheduled to vote on the tentative agreement on Friday night.
