Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell joins picket as hotel strike persists

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell joined Unite Here Local 5 hotel workers on the picket lines in Waikiki Saturday, the 27th day of what has become the union’s longest-running hotel strike in nearly three decades.

The strike began Oct. 8 when negotiations between Local 5 and Kyo-ya, which owns the Marriott-managed Sheraton Waikiki, The Royal Hawaiian, Westin Moana Surfrider, Sheraton Princess Kaiulani and Sheraton Maui, reached an impasse.

Kyo-ya Hotels & Resorts, Marriott and Unite Here Local 5, which represents 2,700 striking hotel workers in Hawaii, returned to the bargaining table for the third time late Saturday afternoon.

Kyo-ya and Marriott declined to comment. Local 5 spokesman Ikaika Hussey said, “There has been a lot of progress made but there is still some distance left for us to traverse. We know that we are going to get there, but the strike is not going to end today or tomorrow.”

In the meantime, Hussey said workers “remain strong and are in great spirits,” especially over Caldwell’s show of support.

Hussey said Local 5 members also were pleased by the announcement that Ronald McDonald House Charities of Hawaii was moving its Nov. 17 Share a Night Annual Gala from the Sheraton Waikiki to the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

Caldwell and Gov. David Ige have refused to cross picket lines. They were both absent from the Japan-America Society of Hawaii’s annual dinner and silent auction held Oct. 23 at the Sheraton Waikiki.

Caldwell said he decided to picket with workers Saturday because he is “pro-worker” and truly believes “one job should be enough,” echoing the union’s strike slogan.

Caldwell said the strike is negatively affecting the state’s visitor industry and the trickle-down tourism economy, which is largely dependent on workers spending wages in the communities where they live.

“I called Kyo-ya and Marriott. The lawyers never called me back,” Caldwell said. “They need to be sensitive to the communities where their hotels are located. Hawaii has some of the highest hotel performance measures in the nation. That’s not just because of our natural beauty, that has to do with our people, too.”

Caldwell said Local 5 Secretary Treasurer Eric Gill reassured him Tuesday “there is a path forward.”

“They’ve reached agreement on subcontracting. They remain apart on wages and benefits but that can be fixed. The technology piece is the problem. How do you negotiate in a contract the use of technology to eliminate jobs?” Caldwell said.

Still, the mayor said he’s optimistic the strike will end soon.

“I’m hopeful by next week that the main elements will be out on the table,” he said.