Chicago hotel strike enters fourth day as workers demand higher pay, better benefits
A hotel workers strike has entered its fourth day in Chicago, with employees protesting at several downtown hotels over wages and healthcare.
If you’re familiar with the Palmer House, you may know there are two entrances to the hotel, one on Monroe Street and one on Wabash Avenue.
WGN-TV crews were at the hotel Monday as employees protested outside both entrances, trying to get their message across.
“It makes a difference because it affects the guests. It affects their business, and this is an effective way of doing it,” hotel employee Zeruiah Eason said.
Monday marked the fourth consecutive day union workers have picketed outside six hotels in Chicago after walking off the job Friday morning.
According to Unite Here Local 1, the timing was deliberate to put pressure on the hotels during one of their busiest weekends of the year: Chicago Marathon weekend.
The crowd included a variety of hotel employees, including cooks, servers, housekeepers and front desk assistants. They are demanding higher pay and better healthcare benefits after their union contracts with Hilton, Marriott and Hyatt expired.
“Our contract is over. They don’t want to sign it,” Palmer House employee Hayat Gundo said. “They sign the contract, we can then get back to work.”
by: Emmy Victor, Ashlyn Wright