EMERYVILLE, Calif. — Workers fighting for a contract at the Hilton Garden Inn here organized a spirited picket and rally July 9, joined by supporters from other union hotels in the area.
“We the workers at the Hilton Garden Inn Emeryville are fighting for the same pay and benefits that other Local 2 members have already won,” a flyer distributed by UNITE HERE Local 2 says. “Hilton Garden management recently made a proposal to our negotiator that would make us permanent second class workers. Why should we make less?”
The bosses’ proposal would raise wages $7.50 an hour for non-tipped workers over the three-year contract — the pattern in other East Bay union hotel contracts — but wouldn’t grant the additional $2 raise workers should have gotten in 2022, nor allow for retroactive or daily room cleaning pay. Workers at two nearby Hyatt hotels, owned by the same company as the Hilton, get the $2 an hour higher wage.
Pickets were joined by members of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, who were holding a leadership conference at the hotel. That union represents service, patient care and craft workers at University of California campuses. Their president, Michael Avant, brought greetings to the rally, as did the UNITE HERE representative at the Hilton, Xitlali Sanchez.