If you’re planning a holiday trip to San Francisco, be prepared—you might encounter picket lines or the sounds of vocal protests.
Since September, approximately 2,000 workers from Hyatt, Hilton, and Marriott-branded hotels have been on strike, demanding higher wages, more affordable healthcare, and better working conditions. Representing housekeepers, servers, bartenders, cooks, dishwashers, bellhops, and doormen, the unions have indicated that negotiations are far from over. As a result, visitors to San Francisco’s hotel district may continue to experience the disruptions caused by the ongoing labor action.
The protests, concentrated around downtown hotels, have caught many guests off guard with their intensity. Demonstrations often feature steel drums and bullhorns, with noise starting as early as 7 a.m. One Reddit user who stayed at the Palace Hotel in October shared their sympathy for long-term guests, describing the early-morning noise as disruptive. Meanwhile, some visitors have left negative reviews for hotels affected by the strikes, citing poor service due to reduced staffing and the discomfort of navigating picket lines. “No notice was given at the time of our booking that the entrance was a gauntlet to get through to enter the hotel. Very uncomfortable,” wrote a guest at a Union Square Hilton in December.
For some travelers, the ethical dilemma of staying at a hotel where workers are striking for fair treatment is a dealbreaker. One Tripadvisor reviewer canceled her reservation at a downtown Hilton, stating she “hated the idea of crossing the picket line.”
If you’re planning a stay in San Francisco and want to avoid crossing picket lines or dealing with noisy protests, consider using [FairHotel.org](http://fairhotel.org). This resource provides a searchable list of union-approved hotels in the city. Of the 64 listed, 28 are marked as “please patronize,” indicating they have no known labor disputes.
By planning ahead, you can ensure a more comfortable and conscientious stay in San Francisco.
Source: sfstandard.com