Fatima Amahmoud works as a housekeeper at the Moxy hotel in downtown Boston, where her job can feel overwhelming with up to 17 rooms to clean per shift. The issue of daily room cleaning has become a point of contention during contract negotiations between major hotel chains and unionized housekeepers represented by UNITE HERE. The union has authorized strikes at 25 hotels in eight cities due to unmanageable workloads and declining income for workers in the industry.
The pandemic shutdowns have exacerbated staffing shortages and a decline in working conditions for hotel workers, particularly women, who are overrepresented in the industry. UNITE HERE is striving for fair compensation and workload guarantees for service workers, including significant wage hikes achieved in southern California through strikes. The hotel industry, however, is facing serious staffing shortages, with 80% of member hotels reporting a lack of staff, especially in housekeeping roles.
While the hotels claim to be offering competitive wages and benefits to attract workers, many housekeepers like Maria Mata and Chandra Anderson are struggling with erratic schedules, low pay, and insufficient hours. The ongoing battle over daily room cleaning is emblematic of a broader fight for better working conditions and fair compensation in the hotel industry, which relies heavily on women of color and immigrants. UNITE HERE continues to push for language in contracts to prevent hotels from encouraging guests to opt out of daily housekeeping services.
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