Thousands of hotel workers, mostly in Waikiki, prepare for ‘imminent strike’

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - More than 5,000 hotel workers are preparing for what they call an ‘imminent strike.’

There are seven Waikiki hotels and one Kauai hotel that would be impacted by a potential strike.

Hotel workers authorized a strike on August 8 and Monday started signing up for strike benefits and sign making.

Workers say wages, staffing levels, benefits and preserving some guest services are among the sticking points.

Briana Canencia has worked as a server at the Waikiki Beach Marriott for eleven years.

“No one wants to strike. No wants to walk off the job at any time, but if we want a livable wage, if want our families to live here for future generations then this is what we have to do,” said Briana Canencia.

“These are the sacrifices we have to make,” she added.

Seven hotels in Waikiki would be impacted along with one on Kauai: Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort, Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa, Moana Surfrider, The Royal Hawaiian, Sheraton Princess Kaiulani, Sheraton Waikiki, Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, and the Sheraton Kauai Resort.

Keith Vieira, principal of KV & Associates Hospitality Consulting, says small businesses that rely on tourists would be hurt along with Hawaii’s number one economic engine.

He says Waikiki hotel occupancy is between 60 and 75 percent when it should be around 90 percent this time of year.

“(The industry) still hasn’t recovered from the pandemic. They haven’t recovered without the Japanese so from the hotel standpoint. They’re still struggling,” said Vieira.

“Probably couldn’t be a worse time for this to happen,” he added.

In 2018, 2,700 hotel workers went on strike for 51 days on Oahu and Maui. Local 5 says this potential strike would be the largest since 1990.

Hawaii tourism leaders say they’re hopeful that an agreement can be reached and a strike averted.