Hotel workers press board for health care, staffing and enforcement as strikes continue

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors convened a committee‑of‑the‑whole public hearing on Oct. 8 to review working conditions in the city’s hotel industry as hundreds of Unite Here Local 2 members continue strike actions.

Unite Here negotiator Anand Singh told the board the union is fighting to preserve wages, pensions and a union‑sponsored health fund that preserved coverage during COVID. "The typical Local 2 member earns about $53,000 per year," Singh said, arguing that the industry’s profit‑seeking real estate practices and ownership changes have repeatedly left workers vulnerable. Local 2 president Lizzie Tapia said more than 1,500 workers at three San Francisco hotels were on strike and that the companies had "kept staffing levels at rock bottom" even as rates rose; she said some employers were seeking to dismantle the union health plan and had refused to share recovery gains with workers.

Dozens of hotel employees gave two‑minute accounts of workplace conditions. A housekeeping employee described being forced to cover multiple buildings and heavy physical workloads; another worker from Grand Hyatt said the hotel reduced positions that used to ensure safety and cleanliness. Workers repeatedly said cuts to mid‑shift and cleaning staff had forced remaining employees to do more work in less time and put health benefits at risk.

Several supervisors expressed solidarity and urged stronger enforcement. Supervisor Ronan said she had asked the city attorney to draft legislation to require hotels to be licensed and regularly inspected, noting that existing cleaning‑standard rules had been difficult to enforce. "We need to make sure that hotels are properly licensed, regularly inspected and that guests know what they're getting when they book to stay in that hotel," Ronan said. Supervisor Preston and others praised the workers’ sacrifices and urged employers to negotiate in good faith.

Union leaders said they are also communicating with convention organizers and other customers; Tapia said many customers the union has contacted have been supportive and the union has at times asked customers to avoid hotels on strike. The hearing closed after the board heard multiple testimonies; President Peskin said the matter had been "heard and filed," and supervisors proposed follow‑up enforcement and licensing actions.

Next steps: Supervisor Ronan indicated she has asked the city attorney to draft licensing and inspection legislation for hotels and the board discussed strengthening enforcement of existing cleanliness standards.

Representative quotes from the hearing are taken verbatim from public testimony and questions on the record.