Hawaii hotel workers slated to remain on strike through Thanksgiving

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Some 2,700 Hawaii hotel workers are expected to remain on strike through the Thanksgiving holiday.

In a statement, Kyo-ya Hotels & Resorts, said that negotiations with UNITE HERE Local 5 failed to result in a deal and that both sides aren’t slated to return to the bargaining table until Nov. 26.

“We are extremely disappointed that Local 5 leadership rejected our latest offer which would have been the largest increase in compensation for any of the striking markets nationwide,” Kyo-ya said, in the statement.

“Instead of accepting what would have been a fair and generous agreement, Local 5 leadership has elected to keep our employees out of work.”

Kyo-ya said it offered a wage increase and no changes to benefits for all active employees.

But the company did not say how much of a pay increase it was offering.

UNITE HERE Local 5 says Kyo-ya’s proposal does not offer enough money for workers to live on in Hawaii.

“We remain hopeful that the employer will make a true settlement offer next Monday," a statement from Local 5 said. "A true settlement offer is one that looks at the true cost of living and working in Hawaii and brings us toward the goal of all workers: ‘One Job Should Be Enough.'”

The union offered a counter proposal, which Kyo-ya did not respond to.

The Local 5 strike, which began in early October, impacts five hotels operated by Marriott and owned by Kyo-ya: Sheraton Waikiki, The Royal Hawaiian, Westin Moana Surfrider, Sheraton ‪Princess Kaiulani‬ and Sheraton Maui.

The main demand from strikers is the rallying cry: “One job should be enough."

The strike is the Hawaii hotel industry’s longest work stoppage in nearly 50 years.

This story will be updated.

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