Oakland Marriott workers reach tentative agreement, will end strike Saturday
OAKLAND, Calif. (KTVU) - Striking Oakland Marriott Hotel workers say they have reached a tentative agreement and will end their strike on Saturday.
A representative from Unite Here Local 2850 confirmed Friday evening that the agreement was voted on and ratified workers will be back on the job tomorrow.
The workers are employed at the Oakland Marriott City Center at 1001 Broadway.
The union said they are happy with the agreement they have reached, but will continue to support other striking workers in San Francisco and San Jose.
Meanwhile, in those cities, hundreds of striking Marriott workers are now entering their second month on the picket lines and marched on San Francisco's City Hall on Friday.
The Board of Supervisors called an unusual Friday hearing as the strike now stretches into November. Board members invited both sides, the striking workers and Marriott to the hearing. But, only the workers showed up.
At noon a large crowd of striking Marriott workers made their way through Civic Center Plaza and into City Hall ready to air their side in the month long dispute.
Inside, union workers explained that low pay has many of them working two or even three jobs, taking them away from their family.
Union leaders say it's reached a critical point. "Make no mistake about it folks, this is a crisis. There are 2,500 families that have been out on strike for a month," said Anand Singh of Unite Here.
Supervisor Hillary Ronen called for this special hearing, hoping to bring both sides together, sending a letter to Marriott hotels. The hotel's CEO declining to attend. "The least the CEO of Marriott can do, after making million and millions of dollars in our city is show up and speak from Marriott's perspective," said Ronen.
In a letter to Ronen, Arne Sorenson President and CEO of Marriott hotels applauded the city's recognition of the importance of the hospitality industry but said" the union has attempted to portray Marriott as a company that has both disregarded it's bargaining obligations and denied it's employees fair wages and benefits. That could not be further from the truth,"
The hotel chain saying union leaders are more interested in holding it's multi city 23 hotel strike and growing membership than meaningful negotiations.
Hotel workers explained their concerns about long hours and low wages and benefits in one of the most costly regions of the country. "We're just trying to survive like everybody else. We have kids we have families. One job should be enough because when you're working two jobs it brings stress, plus you don't have time for your loved ones." said Ulysses Walker, a worker at the W Hotel in San Francisco.
The mayors of San Francisco and Oakland also sent a letter to Marriott's management urging the hotel chain to negotiate with workers.
The company has said negotiations are underway. But, they don't want to negotiate with the unions in the press or on social media.