Story perspectives

Chicago hotel workers walk out at six downtown hotels

By Drooid · Oct 10, 2026, 3:14 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Hotel workers in Chicago walked off the job at six downtown hotels on Friday.
The walkout includes Millennium Hotel Knickerbocker, Palmer House, Sheraton Grand, Waldorf Astoria, and two Westin properties.
UNITE HERE Local 1 president Karen Kent said negotiations failed on wages, benefits, and workloads.
Members voted 85% in September to authorize a strike that could involve 7,000 workers at 46 hotels, Chicago’s hotel strike.

History

Historical Context

In 1978, the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union (HERE) led a citywide strike in New York City that shut down dozens of hotels. The walkout involved roughly 12,000 workers, cost the hospitality sector an estimated $2.5 million in lost revenue, and prompted Mayor Ed Koch to intervene. Today's Chicago hotel walkout mirrors that 1978 confrontation, with UNITE HERE Local 1 members at the Millennium, Palmer House, Sheraton Grand, Waldorf Astoria, Westin and others demanding higher wages and benefits. Both episodes illustrate how large-scale hotel labor actions can pressure city officials and corporate owners, often reshaping bargaining dynamics for years to come.

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Story summary

Hotel workers in Chicago walked off the job at six downtown hotels on Friday.
The walkout includes Millennium Hotel Knickerbocker, Palmer House, Sheraton Grand, Waldorf Astoria, and two Westin properties.
UNITE HERE Local 1 president Karen Kent said negotiations failed on wages, benefits, and workloads.
Members voted 85% in September to authorize a strike that could involve 7,000 workers at 46 hotels, Chicago’s hotel strike.

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