1/16
Swipe or click to see more
Video by Kat Wade / Special to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Members of the hotel workers union, Local 5, rallied on Wednesday, June 27, 2018, leading up to bargaining talks as 20 contracts are set to expire this year.
2/16
Swipe or click to see more
Union member Morgan Evans uses a megaphone to charge up the crowd of approximately 1,000 hotel union members with Unite Here Local 5 before they march through the streets of Waikiki.
3/16
Swipe or click to see more
The event, which began at 4:30 p.m. on Kalakaua Avenue and drew Gov. David Ige and workers from Oahu and Kauai, was the largest Local 5 union action since the Kaiser workers strike in 2015.
4/16
Swipe or click to see more
In addition to demanding that Marriott provide jobs that are enough to live on, workers will demand Marriott to use technology to innovate rather than cut jobs, pay living wages, protect workers from sexual harassment. They also will ask for a housing trust fund.
5/16
Swipe or click to see more
Contracts at 20 hotels expire this year for more than 10,000 workers that belong to Local 5, which is slated to begin bargaining talks today with Marriott International.
6/16
Swipe or click to see more
The company, which operates eight Local 5 hotels, became the state’s largest hotel employer after its 2016 purchase of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc.
7/16
Swipe or click to see more
Marriott did not address bargaining specifics on Wednesday, but stated that it has had “a long and productive relationship with Local 5” and looks forward “to working with the members of the bargaining team to reach a fair agreement.”
8/16
Swipe or click to see more
Therese Tan, left, Esther Rellanos, Angela Prigge, and Danilo Guzman joined the crowd of other hotel union members for a rally near the Duke statue.
9/16
Swipe or click to see more
Union members, Chester Corpuz, left, and Morgan Evans use a megaphone to speak to the crowd of hotel union members with Unite Here Local 5.
10/16
Swipe or click to see more
From left to right: union organizer Lisa Grandinetti, union director Beatriz Topete, union organizer Lourdes Maquera, Oahu Unite Here Local 5 president Gemma Weinstein, and Governor David Ige.
11/16
Swipe or click to see more
Nerissa Acdal, left, pushes her 20-month-old daughter Kylie Acdal, and is followed by a line of other hotel union members.
12/16
Swipe or click to see more
Jowenna Eleazar-Mageo, left, pushes her two young children Jaycean and Jaclyn, and is followed by a line of other hotel union members.
13/16
Swipe or click to see more
Pat Ogngjoco, right, marches with his son Nico along with approximately 1,000 hotel union members with Unite Here Local 5.
14/16
Swipe or click to see more
Eric Gill, Local 5 secretary-treasurer, uses a megaphone to chant and speak to the hotel union members.
15/16
Swipe or click to see more
Governor David Ige showed up to lend his support for approximately 1,000 hotel union members with Unite Here Local 5 during their rally near the Duke statue on Kalakaua Ave.
16/16
Swipe or click to see more
Union member Keola Diaz took the opportunity to take a selfie with Governor David Ige during their rally.