As part of a labor action against Marriott-operated properties throughout the U.S., five properties owned by Kyo-ya Hotels & Resorts in Hawaii have had to halt room and laundry service and implement “contingency plans” to be staffed sufficiently to remain open. The company says it is “ready to welcome back” the striking employees, but there has been no movement towards talks that could end the dispute.
Employees of Kyo-ya Hotels & Resorts, which owns five Marriott-operated properties in Hawaii, have been striking since October 8th, and while the company issued a statement on October 12th that it was “ready to welcome back” the striking workers, no progress has been made towards conducting talks that could resolve the dispute, Pacific Business News reported.
The strike against the Kyo-ya Hotels & Resorts properties is related to walkouts against other Marriott properties that have been undertaken in six other U.S. cities, including Boston, Pacific Business News reported.
Marriott, Kyo-ya and Unite Here Local 5 have been negotiating since union contracts covering thousands of employees expired in June, Pacific Business News reported. The union, which represents 3,500 Hawaii employees in seven Marriott-operated hotels, and 11,000 total Hawaii hospitality workers, is asking for higher wages, job security and safer working conditions.
About 2,700 Marriott hotel workers in Honolulu and Maui have been on strike since October 8th, Pacific Business News reported. On October 12th, many of these workers marched from the Sheraton Waikiki to a rally near the Duke Kahanamoku statue on Waikiki Beach in Oahu. Daily protests have started as early as 5 a.m., prompting complaints from hotel guests and nearby residents, Pacific Business News reported.
The five Kyo-ya properties have had to halt certain services, including room and laundry service, and implement “contingency plans” to be sufficiently staffed and remain open, Pacific Business News reported.
“There have been some adjustments to staffing levels and services being offered at our properties,” Kyo-ya said in a statement. “We have notified our guests and business partners of the situation and are providing them with ongoing updates.
“We understand that the demonstrations are causing some disruption,” the statement continued. “We apologize for the inconvenience, and we appreciate the patience and understanding of our neighbors, the community, and our guests.”
On October 12th, Pacific Business News reported, Kyo-ya also issued a statement that said: “We respect the right of our employees at Kyo-ya’s five properties in Hawaii to participate in a work stoppage which began on Monday, October 8, and we are committed to continuing our good-faith bargaining. Although Local 5 called for our employees to walk off their jobs, we value them and are ready to welcome them back.”
That statement, Pacific Business News reported, then prompted Michael Kirby, a UNITE HERE Local 5 member who works at the Westin Moana Surfrider, to issue this statement in response: “I understand that Kyo-ya wants to welcome the workers back. However, we haven’t heard anything from Kyo-ya about contract negotiations. They haven’t set a date to do any kind of contract negotiations. We have specific demands that we are asking for, and we’d like them to come to the table to discuss with us. Yet they have simply put us off.We as Kyo-ya workers welcome Kyo-ya back to the negotiating table.”
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