Workers from six hotels in Chicago initiated a strike on Friday. This walkout comes as the city anticipates the marathon weekend. The labor action is organized by the workers’ union, Unite Here Local 1, which represents various hotel staff including room attendants, dishwashers, front desk agents, and servers.
The union reported that contracts affecting about 7,000 workers expired on August 31. Subsequently, hotel workers voted in favor of authorizing strikes last month.
On October 9, 2026, several hotel employees, such as Eman Almoukdad and drummers Juan Rivera and Diana Almazan, participated in the strike outside the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk, as pictured by Antonio Perez from the Chicago Tribune.
The hotels with workers currently on strike, according to the union, include Millennium Hotel Knickerbocker Chicago, Palmer House, Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk, Waldorf Astoria Chicago, The Westin Chicago River North, and The Westin Michigan Avenue Chicago.
As Chicago welcomes marathon runners and visitors from around the world, hotel workers are being pushed to the breaking point while greedy hotel honchos cash in.
The president of Unite Here, Karen Kent, expressed these sentiments in a statement. She added, “the workers who make this industry run are struggling to pay rent and feed their families.”
Negotiations for contracts with different employers happen separately. The union stated they might initiate strikes at additional hotels anytime, as no agreements have been reached yet with the employers.
Prior to the announcement of Friday’s strike and after workers voted to strike, the Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association voiced concern. They feared the potential negative repercussions of a work stoppage on employees, visitors, hotels, and the city overall. Furthermore, they mentioned that hotels have implemented strong contingency plans.
The last prominent hotel strike in Chicago occurred in 2018, affecting over two dozen hotels. The situation continues to develop.
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