Workers at Hilton Hawaiian authorize strike as negotiations drag on

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Unionized workers at the Hilton Hawaiian Village have authorized a strike following a vote Friday.

91% of votes recorded in Friday’s UNITE HERE Local 5 ballot were in favor of a strike as negotiations for a new contract for 1,700 workers have dragged on without a deal.

UNITE HERE Local 5 workers at the hotel include housekeepers, cooks, bartenders, and food and beverage servers. They’re seeking higher wages and to address a number of workplace issues, including subcontracting, automation, workplace safety and job elimination.

The vote came five months after a strike involving 2,700 workers across five Hawaii hotels ended after 51 days. The Local 5 strike was the second-longest work stoppage in Hawaii’s hotel industry.

The contract for Local 5 workers at the Hilton Hawaiian Village expired in July 2018.

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