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Workers at 3 Chicago hotels go on strike

By
FOX 32 Chicago
Chicago
Published November 14, 2026 4:53 PM CST
Published November 14, 2026 4:53 PM CST
article

Workers at the Chicago Marriott Marquis form a picket line. (UNITE HERE Local 1)

The Brief

    • Hundreds of hotel workers at three Chicago hotels have gone on strike, according to a press release from labor union UNITE HERE Local 1.
    • The union said the new walkouts follow strikes at eight other Chicago hotels and are part of a larger contract fight.
    • Workers say they are pushing for better pay, health care benefits, a better pension, civil rights protections and safer workloads.

CHICAGO - Hundreds of hotel workers at the three Chicago hotels are headed to the picket line, according to a labor union. 

Chicago hotel strike expands to three more properties

Local perspective:

At 6 a.m. Nov. 14, workers at Chicago's Royal Sonesta, Marriott Marquis and The Wade Hotel walked off the job, per union UNITE HERE Local 1. 

The group includes room attendants, cooks, dishwashers, bell attendants, front desk agents, servers, bartenders and other hotel staff.

According to a press release, the strikers are asking for better pay and pensions, healthcare benefits, civil rights protections, and safer workloads.

These walkouts follow strikes at eight other hotels, per union officials.

They include the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk, Waldorf Astoria Chicago, Palmer House and Hilton Hotel, The Westin Chicago River North, Westin Michigan Avenue, Millennium Hotel Knickerbocker, Hilton Chicago and Hyatt Regency Chicago.

Union officials say the strike is part of a larger contract fight that involves more than 7,000 hotel workers in 46 hotels.

Timeline:

The walkouts followed an 85% vote to authorize strikes in September. Contracts with Hilton, Marriott and Hyatt expired Aug. 31, according to the union.

What they're saying:

"Room attendants, cooks, servers, dishwashers, cashiers, baristas, room service, and bellmen, they keep these hotels running," said Karent Kent, President of UNITE HERE Local 1. "Without them, everything falls apart. Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott, Chicago, your workers deserve the wages, benefits, protections, and respect they seek. Workers are done waiting for a fair deal, they’ve reached a boiling point. They have strategized and until they win a contract that reflects all their hard work, expect the pressure to amplify. Picket lines will increase and strikes will simply continue."

These disputes are part of larger negotiations for more than 7,000 workers at 46 hotels. If they all went to the picket line, it would be the largest hotel strike in Chicago history, according to the union.

The Source: This story was written using a press release from UNITE HERE Local 1. It was reported from Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

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