After a 24-day strike that called attention to labor demands across Boston’s hospitality sector, approximately 600 Hilton hotel employees are set to return to work this month pending final contract ratification.
UNITE HERE Local 26, the union representing these employees including front of the house restaurant management and culinary teams, reached a tentative agreement with Hilton Hotels & Resorts late last month signaling the end of picket lines and a possible step toward broader labor resolutions within the city’s hotel industry.
“This is a significant achievement for our valued Boston Team Members, who are at the heart of everything we do,” said Paul Ades, senior vice president and assistant general counsel for Hilton.
“We believe this tentative agreement will benefit both our team members and our hotels, and we are looking forward to welcoming everyone back to work.”
The new agreement, which mirrors recent contracts ratified at other Boston properties, was reached after weeks of demanding negotiations and public strikes by hotel workers at Hilton Boston Logan Airport, Hilton Boston Park Plaza, and two additional Hilton-operated hotels: DoubleTree Hilton Boston-Cambridge and Hampton Inn & Homewood Suites Boston Seaport.
According to the union, these efforts have brought workers a contract that matches the wage and benefit standards recently adopted by Omni Hotels & Resorts, whose own workers approved a new contract on October 20.
The union is optimistic that this agreement can serve as a foundation for ongoing negotiations at other hotels. “We’re proud to have secured a contract that gives Hilton workers the fair compensation and support they deserve,” said Carlos Aramayo, president of UNITE HERE Local 26.
“Our members have worked tirelessly, and this agreement marks an important step. There is, however, still more work to be done to ensure fair treatment for all hotel workers in Boston.”
The decision to strike on October 7 followed the expiration of workers’ previous contracts on August 31, which left employees across Boston’s hotel sector advocating for better wages, manageable workloads, and expanded benefits.
These demands became a focal point during the strikes as workers drew attention to the strain of high room occupancy with limited staffing, a situation many contend has only worsened since the pandemic.
As talks stalled and the strike stretched into its third week, the union continued to press for higher wages and fairer workload distribution to alleviate the intense demands on hotel staff. Picket lines became a common sight outside Hilton properties as workers, including housekeepers, front desk agents, and kitchen staff, highlighted the challenges they face in their jobs.
Additionally, some workers shared the financial and emotional toll of maintaining multiple jobs to support themselves and their families in Boston’s high-cost market.
“Many of our members can’t afford to make ends meet on their current wages, even while juggling multiple roles. Hilton’s willingness to reach an agreement that respects the sacrifices workers make daily is encouraging,” Aramayo noted, emphasizing the broader labor issue at play in Boston’s hotel industry.
While the Hilton agreement is a victory for the workers returning to their jobs, it does not mark the end of the union’s efforts. UNITE HERE Local 26, which represents hotel employees throughout Greater Boston and Rhode Island, has stated that several other Boston hotels are still without updated contracts.
Many of these properties are operated by large management companies such as Marriott and Aimbridge Hospitality. Workers at these hotels remain authorized to strike if negotiations do not progress, and approximately 3,000 Boston-area hotel employees continue to await new agreements that would secure similar gains.
The union asserts that Hilton’s acceptance of the agreement may encourage other properties to recognize the need for increased wages and benefits as well. Ades from Hilton acknowledged the complexity of the negotiations but expressed optimism about the path forward.
“Our aim is to meet workers’ needs while maintaining the high standard of service that guests expect at Hilton hotels. We’re hopeful that this agreement will help us achieve that balance,” he said.
Boston’s recent labor actions are part of a broader pattern of hospitality strikes sweeping the nation. Over Labor Day weekend, workers at hotels in multiple major cities, including San Francisco, Seattle, and Honolulu, walked off the job to demand better compensation and improved working conditions.
In Boston alone, around 10,000 hotel workers across 30 properties joined the strike effort, driven by concerns over wage stagnation and staffing shortages.
The Hilton employees’ tentative agreement signals a shift toward improved labor relations in the city’s hospitality sector, but as Boston University’s School of Hospitality Administration dean, Arun Upneja, pointed out, it also highlights the challenges hotel companies face as they balance worker demands with rising operational costs.
“These strikes are forcing hotel owners to make hard choices,” Upneja observed. “At the end of the day, hotels need to remain profitable, but the relationship with employees is essential, especially in a high-demand market like Boston.”
The union’s incremental rolling strikes, which involve different properties at various times, aim to keep up pressure on hotel companies without exhausting workers financially or disrupting the entire hotel industry. This strategy, Aramayo explained, allows workers to make their case strongly while still returning to work as negotiations evolve.
Although both Hilton management and union representatives have voiced satisfaction with the proposed contract, Local 26 remains focused on achieving similar victories at other Boston properties.
“We’ve made progress, but the fight is not over,” said Aramayo. “We will continue to advocate until all Boston hotel workers receive fair pay and adequate support for the hard work they put in every day.”
