(Philadelphia, PA) — On Friday, June 24, members of UNITE HERE Local 274 voted overwhelmingly (more than 96% of votes cast) to authorize a strike at the Radisson Plaza-Warwick Hotel. A strike at the luxury, center-city property would affect workers responsible for almost all aspects of service, including housekeepers who clean rooms, cooks and servers for restaurants and events and others.

The strike authorization vote comes after 8 months of unsuccessful negotiations. Warwick management has refused to meet the standards other area hotels have set. Philadelphia hotels are doing record business, with room rates and occupancy rates both climbing rapidly. Other area hotels have seen fit to share this success with their workers through improved health benefits and strong job protection language. However, Warwick management is refusing to agree to a contract that is in keeping with these advances that other hotels have made on behalf of their workers.

“The Warwick is one of the finest hotels in Philadelphia, they should want to treat the workers as well-if not better-than any hotel in the city,” says Lynne Fox of UNITE HERE. “Hotel workers in Philadelphia are demanding their fair share of the success that the hotels are having, and most hotels are respecting that. If the Warwick won’t follow suit, workers are ready to take drastic action to make their point: tourism doesn’t work without them.”

“We have worked under a contract extension for nine months now, and management just keeps dragging their feet. Our dependents need health care, we need pension improvements and job security, and we can’t wait much longer,” states Corean Holloway, a 19-year laundry attendant at the Warwick.

For more information or updates, please call Richard Minter at 646-265-5250.