PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — After months of working without a contract, unionized employees at the Center City Hampton Inn now have the security of a new deal.
“Everybody’s energy is different; everybody’s energy is much better than what it was two weeks ago,” said Howard McMillan, a housekeeper at the Hampton Inn on 13th and Race streets.
Last Friday, McMillan and his colleagues, represented by UNITE HERE Local 274, agreed to a contract with historic provisions. An immediate raise of $3.50 an hour with a minimum 34% raise by the end of 2027, free union health care, and significant workload reductions.
And during a protracted struggle that even included a four-day strike in early October, McMillan said the stress of laboring without a contract was affecting the quality of work.
“Guests would feel it. It wouldn’t even have to be anything that was said; it would be facial expressions and general attitude. Like your basic demeanor, when you see somebody, they’re not even smiling.”
Next year, there’s expected to be mass tourism in Philadelphia from the Semiquincentennial celebrations.
But, with workers at seven other Center City hotels still fighting for a contract, McMillan said it’s crucial to take care of the people who make tourism in the city possible.
“You’re making money and you don’t want to share it. But you got all these employees that’s helping you get that money; you’re not making that money on your own. If there’s no us, there’s no hotel to run.”
As of 5:30 a.m. Saturday morning, employees at the Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District hotel are on strike.
KYW has reached out to the operator of the Hampton Inn for comment and has not yet heard back.