Public Comment

The Marriott Hotel chain, which is the largest in the country, is being struck by workers who earn a poverty wage. The strike has been authorized by 8,300 workers at 23 Marriott hotels. The Marriott in Oakland and San Francisco are among the striking hotels. Those who have been employed by the Hotel chain from one to four years are earning a bit under $11 an hour. Longer term employees, from five to nine years, are averaging a poverty wage of about $12 an hour. Among the severe consequences of the low wages is that many workers are being forced to hold two jobs. Appropriately, they insist that "One job is enough". 

However, despite attempts at negotiating, the Marriott has refused to budge on key issues. It is not only the very low wages that concern employees. Their jobs have been becoming increasingly insecure due to new technology. From the perspective of the hotel's employees, they are not opposed to new technology. But rather than taking their jobs away, they want the technology to help them do a better job. Also, they want to be assured that they receive a fair severance if they are laid off. The housekeeping workers are also seeking a reduction in their heavy workload. 

Also, Marriott has been adopting what it calls a "Make a Green Choice Program". It sounds like an environmental program but actually, its purpose is to reduce staff. In short, it permits guests to receive various benefits if they decline housekeeping services. The result is that the program has been reducing housekeeper hours. 

The Unions during the recession years agreed to forgo pay increases. But now the chain is making huge profits. In the second quarter, profits increased 25 percent from the previous year to $610 million. The hotel chain can afford to pay much better wages and still earn a substantial profit.