Jeffrey Barner has been the guest opener at Baltimore’s Hilton Inner Harbor for 16 years – since the hotel opened after the city spent millions to finance its planning and construction.
It is becoming increasingly difficult for the bellboy to greet his guests in a friendly manner, he says, as others doing the same work in surrounding towns earn at least $10 more per hour.
Dozens of the hotel’s approximately 200 union members gathered on Friday and voted not to renew their contract with the city-owned Hilton because they support wage increases and better working conditions. A spokesman for Unite Here Local 7 in Baltimore said they could not provide a turnout figure but said the majority of voters were committed to fighting for a $20 an hour minimum wage.
Hilton’s union contract ended in February but was extended through the summer. After Friday’s vote, the extension will expire on August 15, clearing the way for union members at the downtown hotel to potentially strike in the coming weeks.
The vote came after thousands of workers across the country began voting this month at Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott and other hotels to authorize a strike, demanding higher wages, fair staffing and workloads, and the reversal of Covid-era staff cuts.
Although Baltimore has invested money in the restaurant industry to revive the economy, Baltimore workers report that they have historically been underpaid compared to their counterparts in Washington and Philadelphia.
Tracy Lingo, president of Unite Here Local 7 in Baltimore, said the lowest-paid workers at the 757-room Hilton — such as housekeeping, dishwashers and banquet staff — make $16.20 an hour. Hotel workers in the area recently negotiated a $33 hourly wage at the end of a five-year contract. In Philadelphia, about two hours from Baltimore, workers make about $23 an hour.
“There’s no one who really cares about our well-being. And that’s problematic because many hotel owners and executives are out of touch with the reality of what we do,” Barner said. “We’re the ones who are trying to keep the doors open.”
Baltimore’s Hilton, located on West Pratt Street next to the Convention Center, has struggled financially since the pandemic began, and the city must make annual payments to cover its debt after borrowing more than $300 million through bond sales to build the hotel. In 2023, the city has earmarked $7 million from its annual budget for the hotel, in addition to the $16 million the property had reportedly already received to pay off its debt.
Workers feel pressured by the Hilton’s demands for more work with fewer staff, Lingo said, adding that the company’s proposals would leave workers even more behind. Given that hotel companies have moved to a model where they manage properties for owners rather than owning them, the city’s role is significant, Lingo said.
“The owner has the most power,” she said, adding that the city pays Hilton management fees regardless of the hotel’s profits.
The Hilton is not the only hotel in the city currently in contract negotiations. Hyatt Regency, 300 Light Street, Another 115 workers are in collective bargaining negotiations and have gathered there in July to form pickets as they consider going on strike.
The picket line received support from Councilman Zeke Cohen, who is expected to be the next City Council president. After helping hotel workers at his Harbor East Marriott location unionize last year, he said he wanted to support “the city’s flagships” in the ongoing collective bargaining process.
“When people come to Baltimore to stay, these are the workers they’re visiting,” Cohen said. “These are some of the lowest paid workers in the city of Baltimore, and some of them have to work two or even three jobs. And for me, one job should be enough.”
