Chicago hotel workers from six major hotels walked off the job and went on strike Friday after union members say negotiations “failed to produce agreements that meet workers’ demands.”
The strike comes as tens of thousands are set to travel to Chicago for the 2026 Bank of America Chicago Marathon this weekend, with more than 75% of participants traveling from out of state. It was not immediately clear whether the strike has or will impact those arriving for the race.
A news release from UNITE HERE Local 1 said Chicago hotel workers, including room attendants, cooks, dishwashers, bellmen, front desk staff, bartenders and more from Hyatt, Marriott and Hilton hotels were walking out.
Video captured around 7 a.m. Friday morning showed dozens of workers picketing and holding strike signs in front of the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk, at 301 E. North Water St. People with rolling suitcases nearby were seen walking in and out of the hotel.
“Workers from more hotels could also strike at any moment as workers demand wages that keep pace with rising costs and safer workloads,” the release said.
The union said the walkouts come after 85% of members voted to authorize strikes in September. Members said they are asking for better wages, pensions and healthcare benefits, civil rights protections and safer workloads.
The negotiations, the union said, impact more than 7,000 workers across 46 hotels. At Hilton, Marriott and Hyatt, contracts expired Aug. 31, the union said.
“As runners and visitors fill the city for marathon weekend, workers say the hospitality industry’s success has not translated into financial security for the people who clean its rooms, prepare its meals and welcome its guests,” the union said in its news release.
The union said strikes could be called at additional hotels at anytime.
“If these companies can afford billions for shareholders, they can afford fair wages for workers,” Karen Kent, president of UNITE HERE Local 1 said in the release. “These strikes send a clear message: hotel workers are done being left behind.”
According to the union, workers from the following hotels were on strike as of Friday:
- Millennium Hotel Knickerbocker Chicago
- Palmer House Hilton
- Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk
- Waldorf Astoria Chicago
- The Westin Chicago River North
- The Westin Michigan Avenue River North
NBC Chicago reached out to Marriott Bonvoy and 2026 Bank of America Chicago Marathon organizers for comment on this story.
