Six hotels hit during marathon weekend
The walkout affects the Millennium Hotel Knickerbocker Chicago, the Palmer House Hilton, the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk, the Waldorf Astoria Chicago, The Westin Chicago River North and The Westin Michigan Avenue Chicago. Picket lines formed in particular outside the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk, in the Streeterville district.
The timing is no accident. The Bank of America Chicago Marathon draws more than 55,000 participants, 75% of whom come from outside Illinois. Downtown hotels are therefore expecting thousands of visitors this weekend.
Contracts expired at the end of August
The previous collective agreements expired on 31 August 2026, and negotiations have now been running for four months. According to Karen Kent, president of UNITE HERE Local 1, talks have made little progress, while many workers are struggling to cover their day-to-day expenses.
The union is calling for significant pay rises, the maintenance and improvement of healthcare coverage, greater retirement security and protections against increasing workloads. The union’s statement also refers to guarantees on civil rights.
Staffing levels at the heart of the dispute
According to UNITE HERE Local 1, staffing levels in Chicago’s hotel sector have not returned to pre-pandemic levels, meaning fewer workers are absorbing more work. Union spokesperson Maria Hernandez said that the fatigue built up by the end of a shift takes a toll on staff members’ personal lives.
A 2025 union survey sheds light on workers’ financial situation. Over the previous year, 32% had been unable to pay their rent or mortgage, and 29% had struggled to pay their energy bills. Two thirds said their hours had been cut during the low season.
Individual cases illustrate these demands. A dishwasher who has worked at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk for 25 years, earning around €22.60 an hour, has made keeping her family health insurance and securing a pay rise her priorities.
A five-year deal under inflationary pressure
The stakes go beyond an immediate pay increase. The new contract is due to cover the next five years, and workers want it to factor in the expected rise in housing, food and fuel costs. An agreement deemed inadequate today would bind them for the entire term of the contract.
In September, 85% of the workers concerned voted to authorise strike action. The union has warned that further hotels could join the walkout. Further bargaining sessions are scheduled, but UNITE HERE Local 1 says it is prepared to continue its action until an agreement is reached.
A recurring stand-off in major US cities
Analysis – Karen Kent contrasts reports portraying a thriving hotel industry with the situation facing workers. Operators are thus confronted with a classic argument from US unions, centred on how value is shared. This pattern already defined the wave of strikes that hit North America’s hotel giants in 2024.
Other markets have opted for agreement to secure major events. New York avoided a hotel strike ahead of the 2026 World Cup thanks to a landmark pay deal, and Caesars reached an agreement with the Las Vegas unions to head off a walkout. In Chicago, the outcome of negotiations will show whether owners and operators favour a swift settlement or a dispute that could spread to some of the 46 hotels involved.
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
Chicago hotel workers strike on marathon weekend
Six downtown hotels hit, including Palmer House Hilton, Waldorf Astoria and Sheraton Grand Riverwalk
Wider dispute covers 7,000+ workers across 46 hotels, contracts expired August 31
85% of workers voted in September to authorise strikes, more hotels may join
Demands: higher wages, healthcare, retirement security, workload protections
Talks focus on a five-year contract amid rising living costs
