Hotel Workers Strike Ends | Voice of San Diego

We got confirmation late on Wednesday night that the hundreds of Hilton Bayfront workers represented by Unite Here Local 30 who’d formed a picket line in the morning had reached an agreement with management. The details weren’t immediately available, as the agreement still needed to be ratified, but it came hours before the official kick-off of Comic-Con at the nearby Convention Center.

Bolstered by a tight labor market and rising cost of living, the union has been negotiating with hotel management for months and generating support from elected officials. As of last week, the hotel management was offering a 50 cent per hour increase, causing the workers to vote overwhelmingly in favor of strike authorization.

According to the union, the workers on Tuesday came down from their initial demand to $4 over a two-year period, but the hotel countered with $2.50 over 18 months. The union has also insisted on the hotel returning to its pre-pandemic policy of cleaning rooms on a daily basis, which would ensure more hours for the housekeepers.

As the Union-Tribune reported Wednesday, the two sides reached an impasse after 13 hours of talks on Tuesday.

“We can’t allow hotel workers to continue suffering in a billion dollar industry,” Brigette Browning, president of Local 30, said in a press release. “These workers are ready to fight for what they deserve.”

In a statement, Karla Visconti, a spokesperson for the hotel, said it’s currently in negotiations with the union for a new agreement: “We are continuing to welcome guests and have contingency plans in place to ensure operations run as smoothly as possible. We are confident that the hotel and the union will reach a fair agreement that is beneficial to both our valued Team Members and to our hotel.”

The Comic Con website still lists two dozen panels at the Hilton Bayfront.

Update: This post has been updated with new details about an agreement and a comment from a spokesperson with the Hilton Bayfront.