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Longest Hotel Strike in WA History Reaches Day 84

Workers at the Embassy Suites in Pioneer Square have been on strike since June 18. This makes it the longest hotel strike in Washington history. On Labor Day, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay and Mayor Katie Wilson joined the striking hotel workers on the picket line. Workers are asking for $3 an hour in raises for each of the next two years, year-round health insurance to ensure employees keep health care during the slower winter months, and notification to workers and the union if Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are on the premises. [South Seattle Emerald]

• Hilton Hotels initially offered $1.06 raises: A spokesperson for Hilton Hotels wrote in a statement, "We remain committed to negotiating in good faith to reach a fair and reasonable agreement that benefits both our valued Team Members and our hotel." About two weeks into the strike, Hilton Hotels added an extra 1 cent per hour to their previous offer of about $1.06 per hour in annual raises for two years. Campaign researcher Jake Douglas told reporter Yuko Kodama, "People felt so disrespected by an offer like that. A majority of workers have continued the strike." As a point of comparison, during the World Cup, Embassy Suites rented the Cityscape Penthouse for up to $1,843 a night. [South Seattle Emerald, Local 8]
• City response to the strike: Strikers were joined by Rep. Pramila Jayapal on the first day of the strike. In June, Gov. Bob Ferguson walked the picket line with the workers. Seattle City Council declared July 21 Hotel Worker Day and presented a statement of support for striking Embassy Suites workers. Hilton Hotels has not alerted guests booking at the hotel of the ongoing strike. The union has launched a website collating all of the reviews guests have left expressing frustration with their experiences at the hotel during the strike. [South Seattle Emerald, Local 8]
• Hotel losses exceed settlement cost: According to the Puget Sound Business Journal, a repeat corporate customer of Embassy Suites pulled its business out of the hotel, resulting in a $18,500 loss per month. The union says the estimated cost of the Embassy Suites strike exceeds the cost of a potential settlement. Mayor Wilson said on the picket line, "Working people in Seattle deserve a real voice in the decisions that shape their lives… It’s time to settle this contract and get these skilled workers back to delivering world-class service to guests from around the globe.” [Puget Sound Business Journal]

🐍 Seattle Times sues OpenAI, Microsoft: The lawsuit alleges the companies used Seattle Times reporting to train large language models and are violating copyright. The lawsuit described generative AI as “a snake eating its own tail.” The Seattle Times Union posted support for the lawsuit, but said at the bargaining table, management has refused to guarantee that no newsroom job will be replaced by AI. [TechCrunch]

🩺 Medicaid cuts target blue states: The Trump administration is launching Medicaid spending probes in at least six Democratic-led states, including Washington, that provide comprehensive health coverage to poor and disabled immigrants living in the U.S. without permanent legal status. Records show Washington Medicaid officials have been inundated with questions about federal payments covering emergency and pregnancy care for immigrants without legal status. [Washington State Standard]

👙 Bikini baristas win $1.8 million in lawsuit: In a class action lawsuit, filed by 70 former bikini baristas, a judge found business owner Alan Tagle engaged in widespread violations of Washington wage and hour laws. These included failure to pay minimum wage, tip theft, sick leave violations, and more. The judge awarded more than $1.8 million in back pay, penalties, and interest. Tagle’s “Beehive Expresso” stands are in Seattle, Bothell, Lynnwood, and Edmonds. [Seattle Times]