Workers at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Seattle Downtown Pioneer Square return to work today with a new contract after striking for 85 days.
Labor union Unite Here Local 8 last night released details of the new contract that resulted from the longest hotel strike in Washington’s history. The union members voted to ratify the new contract Sept. 10, ending their strike that started during the FIFA World Cup games.
Unite HERE Local 8 represents about 7,000 workers in the hospitality industries of Oregon and Washington state.
“During the 85 days of this historic strike, Embassy Suites workers stood up for each other and showed that change is possible,” said Local 8 Secretary-Treasurer Stefan Moritz in the union’s news release. "This contract includes tremendous wins on fair wages, year-round healthcare, workload, and protections for immigrant workers. It is a victory for all hospitality workers in Seattle.”
Hilton, which according to CoStar data manages the hotel, did not respond to a request for comment by press time.
The new labor contract will make starting pay for housekeepers at the hotel $31.03 per hour, a 6.9% increase in the first year of the contract, starting Jan. 1, 2027. Housekeeping will receive in total a 23.3% raise over the course of the four-year contract. Tipped workers also received a $1 per hour raise above Seattle’s minimum wage on top of their tips.
It also provides for year-round healthcare coverage for those who work at least 1,250 hours per year, which amounts to about 24 hours a week on average.
Housekeepers will have a reduced workload. Front desk associates have the right to file grievances over workload issues.
The contract also allows workers who are immigrants to return to their job with seniority intact for up to two years after they have resolved any issues with their work permits. The union will have an enforcement mechanism to address emergency situations that involve immigrant workers at the hotel, “a first for Hilton across the country,” according to the union.