Hospitality workers in Chicago are planning what they’re calling civil disobedience Thursday afternoon. They’re trying to turn up the heat on 30 downtown hotels whose union contracts expired more than three weeks ago.
UNITE HERE Local 1 says it’s trained 200 people to sit down in front of a Hyatt hotel at Chicago and Michigan avenues. The union says Hyatt has eliminated jobs and tried to roll back benefits after years of strong profits.
A Hyatt vice president points to falling room occupancy since last year and rising costs. He says it’s not clear why Local 1 is singling out his company for this afternoon’s protest.
The union and the Chicago Police Department say they’re in contact. Neither would answer whether there’s a deal to avoid arrests or charges.