# Hotel workers strike ahead of Chicago marathon

> Chicago hotel workers strike for better pay and benefits as marathon weekend approaches.
- Title: Hotel workers strike ahead of Chicago marathon | Shortify
- Summary: Chicago hotel workers strike for better pay and benefits as marathon weekend approaches. Chicago hotel workers at six downtown hotels strike for better…
- Keywords: unite here local 1, chicago marathon, hotel workers, wage increase, healthcare benefits, pension, civil rights protections, safer workloads, marathon weekend, chicago hotels, bank of america chicago marathon, 75 percent
- Source: Chicago Sun-Times — https://chicago.suntimes.com/business/2026/10/09/hotel-workers-strike-chicago-marathon-weekend
- Published: 2026-10-09T18:57:22.466+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: unite here local 1, chicago marathon, hotel workers, wage increase, healthcare benefits, pension, civil rights protections, safer workloads, marathon weekend, chicago hotels, bank of america chicago marathon, 75 percent
## Hotel workers strike
Hotel workers at six downtown hotels walked off the job Friday morning after negotiations failed to meet their demands.
## Strike demands
Workers seek better wages, healthcare benefits, a better pension, civil rights protections and safer workloads.

> better wages, healthcare benefits, a better pension, civil rights protections and safer workloads
## Strike locations
Workers employed at Millennium Hotel Knickerbocker Chicago, Palmer House Hilton, Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk, Waldorf Astoria Chicago, The Westin Chicago River North and The Westin Michigan Avenue Chicago.
## Marathon impact
75% of Bank of America Chicago Marathon’s more than 55,000 participants travel from outside Illinois.

> 75% of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon’s more than 55,000 participants travel from outside of Illinois
## Union survey
32% of workers lacked money to cover rent or mortgage payments in the previous year.

> 32% of workers lacked money to cover rent or mortgage payments in the previous year
## Staffing levels
Hotel staffing levels have not returned to pre-pandemic levels, leaving fewer workers to take on more work.

> Hotel staffing levels have not returned to pre pandemic levels leaving fewer workers to take on more work
## Worker exhaustion
Some workers cannot get up to play with grandkids after shifts.

> Some of them can’t even, when they get on the couch, get up to play with their grandkids or to play with their kids
## Contract dispute
The broader contract dispute involves more than 7,000 workers across 46 hotels.

> The broader contract dispute involves more than 7,00:00 workers across 46 hotels
## Strike authorization
85% of workers voted in September to authorize strikes and additional hotels could join the walkouts.

> 85% of workers voted in September to authorize strikes and additional hotels could join the walkouts
## Next steps
Union has more negotiations scheduled and is prepared to continue taking action until an agreement is reached.

> The union has more negotiations scheduled, Kent said, and is prepared to continue taking action until an agreement is reached
## Key takeaway

Chicago hotel workers at six downtown hotels strike for better wages, healthcare, and safer workloads ahead of marathon weekend.