Hotel workers union boycotts San Francisco Hilton

SAN FRANCISCO — Members of the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees-Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union (UNITE-HERE) Local 2 began a boycott of the San Francisco Hilton Tuesday with an 800-person march and a 160-person sit-in, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The demonstration — which blocked the lobby of the hotel — resulted in the arrest of American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) President Richard Trumka and dozens of other workers, the story stated.

According to the story, workers began staging demonstrations after their contract expired in August in an effort to retain low co-payments for health care.

Hotel management has said the demonstrations are hurting the San Francisco tourism industry, while union officials have said the hotel chains can afford to maintain health care benefits for workers, the story added.

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