Lizzy Tapia, President of UNITE HERE Local 2, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the 93-day hotel worker strike in San Francisco that secured significant gains for workers.
As president of UNITE HERE Local 2, Tapia represents over 15,000 workers in hotels, restaurants and airports in the San Francisco Bay Area. Nearly 2,500 hotel workers, accounting for a little more than 27 percent of the city's total hotel rooms, were involved in the 93-day strike. The new contract was approved by a 99.4 percent ratification vote.
The strike, which began during Labor Day weekend, was a coordinated effort across multiple areas, focusing on major hotel chains Hyatt, Marriott and Hilton. Tapia emphasized the importance of affordable healthcare, decent wage increases and improved staffing levels. She explained that workers were seeking dignified treatment and livable wages. The strike resulted in an immediate $3 per hour wage increase, with additional raises throughout the four-year contract.
One of the significant challenges was the hotels' attempt to reduce staffing under the guise of pandemic safety measures. Tapia said the union was able to expose these tactics and proved they were used to cut costs at the expense of workers' jobs and benefits. Tapia credited the members' solidarity and resilience while adding that other unions could achieve similar success in negotiations with unity among members.
Listen to the complete episode of the AWF Union Podcast to learn more about Unite Here Local 2 and its ongoing efforts.