A cacophony of drumming, shouting and cymbals resounded from an entrance to Embassy Suites by Hilton Seattle Downtown Pioneer Square. A musician with a full drum set on the sidewalk played in time with the chants of unionized hotel employees on strike.
“No contract, no sleep,†two protestors yelled into megaphones on Thursday morning.
Unionized employees are on strike over faltering contract negotiations during the FIFA Men's World Cup. The picket line by Unite Here! Local 8 workers, the union that represents around 7,000 workers in Washington and Oregon's hospitality industries, began at 6:30 a.m. Thursday.
Only unionized workers, about 117, at Embassy Suites by Hilton Seattle Downtown Pioneer Square were on strike Thursday.
The strike will last “until we win,†Local 8 president Anita Seth said Thursday.
A picket line was planned until 9 p.m. outside the hotel at 255 S. King St., which is only a five-minute walk to Lumen Field, currently known as Seattle Stadium.
The strike comes as Seattle buzzes with visitors and soccer fans during its moment on the global map as a host city of World Cup games. The highly anticipated U.S. vs. Australia match is scheduled for Friday at Seattle Stadium.
It was unclear how the strike will affect services at the hotel.
Hilton, which owns Embassy Suites, remains “committed to negotiating in good faith toward a fair and reasonable agreement that benefits both our valued Team Members and our hotel,†spokesperson Karla Visconti said in a statement Thursday.
She said contingency plans are in place “to ensure operations continue to run as smoothly as possible.â€
“We respect the rights of both the union and our Team Members to express their views,†Visconti said.
The hotel's union members are pushing their employer for a new contract with raises, year-round healthcare coverage, a return to higher staffing levels from the prepandemic era and protections from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“I am striking because I don't get enough hours, and I don't make enough money,†Teresa Joseph, an Embassy Suites restaurant worker and Local 8 union leader, said in a statement Wednesday. “I don't have a full eight hours — only six. This isn't livable within Seattle.â€
The last union contract expired at the end of May. Members overwhelmingly voted in favor of authorizing a strike on June 5.
The hotel is currently hiring for several positions. One listing includes an on-call banquet server and bartender, for an hourly rate of $21.30, to support operations during the World Cup, per the job description online.
“The union is asking the public not to sleep, eat, or meet at Embassy Suites Pioneer Square until the strike is over,†according to the news release.
The union represents housekeepers, bussers, cooks, dishwashers and more.
“No contract, no sleepâ€
On Thursday morning, Pioneer Square's streets were largely quiet. Commuters waited at bus stops, and a Downtown Seattle Association ambassador was at the ready to tidy up sidewalks.
But the raised voices of picketing union workers could be heard from King Street Station. Approximately 40 protestors flanked several sides of the hotel's entrances, holding signs that read: “On strike, one job should be enough.â€
They caught the attention of commuters holding coffee and smoking morning cigarettes as they crossed the Weller Street Bridge and passed the picket line. One cheered.
Hayden Eyerly, a front desk agent of two years, told The Seattle Times outside the hotel that he's on strike to improve his and his coworkers' futures.
“We would actually be able to save up and have an actual nest egg, potentially,†he said. “One day, own a home.â€
Does Eyerly think the picket line will disrupt operations at the hotel? “Oh, 100%,†he responded.
By noon, picketing was still going strong — and just as loud.
Small groups of tourists stared at the unfolding scene from nearby street corners. It didn't scare some from dining at 13 Coins Pioneer Square, the restaurant inside the hotel. But Google noted the establishment was “less busy than usual.â€
As a few guests were checking into the Embassy Suites, the noise echoed throughout the lobby.
A handful of Amtrak Police Department officers gathered kitty-corner from the protest. They looked on as visitors with suitcases in tow hopped into their cabs and ride shares.
DJ Gedlu waited outside his yellow taxi on King Street. Despite the ruckus, he was largely unbothered by the nearby picket line.
“They're doing their thing,†he said. “I support them, whatever they're asking.â€
Down the block, it turned out to be a typical Seattle Mariners game day for other businesses. One local employee wasn't aware of the protest happening 400 feet away — and broke into an amused look when told about it.
