‘Hotel Worker Day’ in SeaTac

Mayor of SeaTac signs proclamation establishing “Hotel Worker Day” on October 25, 2024, supporting hotel workers fight to better their lives and working conditions     

The following is from UNITE HERE! Local 8:

SEATAC, WA (October 25, 2024) — On Tuesday, October 22^nd, Mayor Mohammed Egal and SeaTac City Council passed a proclamation honoring the fight and struggle of hotel workers to better their lives and working conditions. The proclamation passed SeaTac City Council unanimously.

This comes after the majority-immigrant workforce at the Doubletree Seattle Airport and Seattle Airport Hilton & Conference Center went on strike for 9 days, fighting for a new contract and real raises that would allow them to support their families amid ever rising cost of living in the area.

Photo: UNITE HERE! Local 8

The proclamation sates, “Now, therefore, I, Mohammed Egal, Mayor of the City of SeaTac, WA, on behalf of the City Council, proclaim that Friday, October 25, 2024 is Hotel Worker Day honoring the important role of hotel workers in our community and supporting hotel workers in their struggle for better working and living conditions.”

“I feel stronger knowing that the mayor and city council are supporting hotel workers,” said Aqapadshah Dosti, a Doubletree housekeeper. “I live in SeaTac and clean rooms in the Doubletree. We deserve more for the hard work we do for guests staying here.”

“Hotel workers in SeaTac are struggling with rising cost of living, stagnant wages, and short-staffing, while hotel companies and owners make record profits,” said Anita Seth, UNITE HERE Local 8 President. “When workers are exhausted at the end of the day from punishing workloads, have to work two and three jobs to make ends meet, and struggle with constant debt, it weakens the fabric of our communities. That’s why we are grateful for the support and recognition of the SeaTac City Council for this fight.”

After months of contract negotiations, over 10,000 hotel workers across the U.S. have gone on strike since Labor Day weekend. Hotel workers in Boston, Mass., Greenwich and New Haven, Conn., Providence, R.I., San Diego, Calif., and Toronto, Canada, have recently ratified new union contracts that include wage increases and affordable health care, but the union cautions that strike issues are unresolved in most cities. More strikes have been authorized and could begin soon in Boston, Honolulu, Kauai, Oakland, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, and San Mateo County.

Though workers are not currently on strike at the two SeaTac hotels, the labor dispute is ongoing and UNITE HERE asks the public not to patronize these two hotels until workers agree to a new contract.