Employees at the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale and the Hyatt Regency Greenwich say they are increasingly frustrated by the slow pace of contract negotiations.
They are prepared to walk out of work, joining thousands of other workers across the country who are ready to go on strike against what they say are low wages and poor working conditions.
Barbara Pearse Mabery, a lobbyist at the Omni New Haven Hotel, attended a rally in New Haven this month.
Pearse Mabery said the hotel was on solid financial footing, but many employees were struggling to make ends meet.
This is also confirmed by the union UNITE HERE Local 34 Federation of University Employees, which represents the employees.
“Somehow Omni makes money at the times when we struggle the most,” Pearse Mabery said.
Pearse Mabery and others say hotel workers are also struggling with staff shortages.
Union representatives and stakeholders say the hospitality industry has recovered from pandemic lockdowns that hit much of the industry hard.
The Hyatt Regency Greenwich and the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale did not respond to Connecticut Public’s requests for comment.
Union officials say many workers are now earning less, adjusted for inflation, than they did before the pandemic. Wages have risen from just over $18 an hour to just over $20 an hour.
Although the workers have yet to sign new contracts, federal officials, including Senator Richard Blumenthal, are supporting their fight.
“The workers at Omni are fighting for things that every worker deserves. We stand behind you until you achieve respect, fair wages and excellent standards,” Blumenthal said.
