Marriott employees vote to strike at Hub locations

More than 1,000 employees of Marriott hotels in Boston have voted to authorize a strike following months of contract negotiations, a move that could come within weeks.

“We’re very far apart on key issues,” said Brian Lang, president of UNITE HERE Local 26. “However, our proposals are reasonable and in some sense modest. We’re dealing with the richest and largest hotel company in the world who’s coming off the five most profitable years in the history of hotels in Boston.”

The union on Wednesday voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike, with 95 percent of voters voting yes. Lang said the decision to strike has not yet been made, but said if it does happen, it will likely be in the coming weeks. One of the union’s key arguments is its members should not have to work a second job to live in the city.

“One job should be enough for hotel workers to live in the city they work in,” Lang said. “Evidently Marriott is more concerned about their shareholders than their community in Boston.”

Contract negotiations have been ongoing since March, but without resolution. UNITE HERE Local 26 includes roughly 1,800 members at Marriott hotels in Boston, including the W, Westin Copley, Ritz-Carlton and others.

In a statement, Marriott says it will continue negotiations with the union.

“We have been in negotiations with Unite Here Local 26 since April. Since then, we’ve had over a dozen meetings where we have been able to reach tentative agreements on some substantive issues,” the company said. “There are still significant issues for both parties on the table that need to be resolved. We continue to negotiate in good faith. Throughout our longstanding relationship with Local 26, we have always taken the negotiation process seriously and reached agreements. We have no reason to believe that this negotiation process will be any different.”