Hilton Americas-Houston Workers Continue Historic Strike
In first strike of hotel staff in Texas, workers lay sights on higher wages and respect
B-roll and photos are available at this link.
Houston, TX – The historic hotel worker strike continues at the Hilton Americas hotel in downtown Houston as
workers demand higher wages and respect. This is the first strike of hotel workers in Texas history and began
on Labor Day.
At issue is the disparity between workers’ wages and working conditions and Houston’s travel and tourism boom. Almost 54 million people visited Houston in 2024 according to Houston First data.i
“Hospitality and service workers are the heart of Houston’s busy tourism industry and we’re not getting our fair share of the money coming in,” said Franchesca Caraballo, Texas Chapter President of UNITE HERE Local 23. “This strike sends a message to Hilton and the other tourism companies in Houston that working people are demanding more for our work greeting visitors and guests to the city.”
Workers are calling for higher wages of at least $23 an hour in a new union contract. Hilton workers’ contract expired on June 30, and they have been in bargaining with the company since June. In addition to fair wages, Hilton workers are fighting for fair schedules, fair workloads, and respect.
“I’m on strike for better pay, a fair schedule, and more affordable health insurance. I’m in need of a surgery right now, but if I were to take off, I wouldn’t be able to survive. I had to take out loans this month just to afford my rent. I haven’t been getting the hours I need even though I’m a full-time employee. I’m depending on partial unemployment to supplement my income because I’m not making enough at the Hilton alone,” said Cynthia Pratt, Server at 1600 Bar & Grille for 13 years. “I work three jobs to be able to afford groceries, utilities, and the necessities for my family. I’m a mother of three who works thre
e jobs to provide for my kids. So, I’m out on strike walking the picket line and standing with my coworkers so that we get the fairness and respect that we deserve,” said Marcella Zaleta, a Cook at1600 Bar & Grille at Hilton Americas.
In addition to workers at the Hilton Americas, UNITE HERE Local 23 represents Houston hospitality workers at
the Marriott Marquis, George R. Brown Convention Center and the George Bush International Airport, where
union contracts expire between October 1 and December 1 of this year.
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UNITE HERE Local 23 represents 28,000 hospitality workers from universities and museums to airport concessions, hotel and parking attendants. Local 23 members are active in Georgia, Mississippi, Charlotte, Nashville, DC, Boise, Indiana, Denver, New Orleans, Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Virginia.
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i https://www.houstonfirst.com/documents/travel-and-tourism-data/