As the sun beat down and temperatures neared 95 degrees in Chicago on Tuesday afternoon, unionized hotel housekeepers, dishwashers, servers, door attendants and their supporters marched along the Magnificent Mile to demand negotiations with their employers.
More than 7,000 unionized workers at 46 hotels across the city are working without a contract after their previous agreement expired at the end of Monday.
In a statement, Unite Here Local 1 warned that after three months of unresolved contract negotiations, its hotel workers “could strike at any time,” which could have widespread ramifications, particularly ahead of the holiday weekend.
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“The fact that thousands of people were out there just demonstrates to me truly the depth of urgency around this,” Unite Here Local 1 President Karen Kent told Bisnow. “The depth of emotion and anger and frustration and really, truly, determination to change this situation.”
The union is seeking improved wages to keep up with inflation, healthcare benefits, sustainable retirement options, protection for immigrant workers, and safer workloads.
A strike could throw a wrench into the recovery of Chicago’s strengthening tourism industry.
Chicago visitors totaled 56.8 million in 2025, almost 1.5 million more than in 2024, according to the most recent data available from Choose Chicago. Those visitors generated $21.5B in visitor spending, up 2.7% year-over-year. While summer visits are the most common, accounting for 34% of all visits, fall trips are second, with 28% of tourist activity.
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Union workers are seeking to have their compensation keep up with the tourism growth. According to a 2025 Unite Here Local 1 survey, 1 in 8 hotel workers reported using a food pantry in the last 12 months, while one-third lacked money to cover housing costs over the same period.
“I work too hard to live like this,” Danetta McPhan, a steward at the Hyatt McCormick, said in a statement Tuesday. “After 24 years at the hotel, I am struggling to keep food in the house for me and my family. I have to explain to my kids why I can’t afford to buy red meat or other things we used to buy. I shouldn’t have to worry every month.”
Contract negotiations with the impacted hotels are ongoing at “a number of different tables,” Kent said. In addition to the 46 hotels included in the labor dispute, contracts with another two are set to expire later this year.
“These are Chicago hotel workers serving a large, booming tourist economy, and people shouldn't have to live like this,” Kent said.
Hyatt Head of Labor Relations, Americas Daniel Dring told Bisnow in a statement that Hyatt has offered competitive wages and said its employee benefits “are excellent” and include no-cost healthcare. Dring said wages and benefits remain unchanged as the company negotiates a new agreement.
“We have contingency plans in place to minimize the impact on hotel operations related to any possible labor disruption,” Dring said.
Representatives from Marriott and the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
The last large-scale hotel workers strike took place in September 2018, when thousands of employees at 26 hotels fought for year-round healthcare coverage and wage increases. Unite Here Local 1 reached agreements with all but one of the 26 hotels within a couple of months.
When asked whether the march or negotiations would lead to a potential strike, Kent said union members are happy to find an agreement whenever it comes, but they are willing to do “whatever it takes” to reach a deal and are serious about their negotiation stances.
Kent was succinct about the union's next steps:
“Stay tuned.”
UPDATE, SEPT. 2, 3:50 P.M. CT: This story has been updated with additional comment from Hyatt.
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