Boston, MA

Union: Boston hotel workers at 35 hotels preparing for potential strike over wages and workloads

Published

1 year ago

August 27, 2024

Union: Boston hotel workers at 35 hotels preparing for potential strike over wages and workloads

After months of unsuccessful negotiations over wages and workloads, hotel workers in Boston are preparing for a potential strike at 35 hotels, the union representing the city’s hotel workers said Tuesday.

Plans for a potential strike comes less than a week before contracts expire, UNITE HERE Local 26, the union representing hotel workers in Boston, said in a statement.

Hotels that could see a potential strike include the Hilton Boston Park Plaza, the Hilton Boston Logan Airport, and the Fairmont Copley Plaza. Hotel workers are registering for strike benefits, signing up for picket duty, and assembling “On Strike” signs, the union said.

These actions come after an overwhelming 99% vote to authorize a historic citywide strike, which could happen anytime after contracts expire on August 31st.

Note: Workers and union officials are available for interviews at 26 West Street in Boston, 7am to 7pm, through Friday August 30th. Please call to coordinate.

“I’m ready to strike because we’re all struggling to pay our monthly bills,” Susana Coelho, a PBX Operator at the Hilton Boston Logan Airport Hotel for 21 years, said in a statement. “Groceries, even basic items like eggs and pasta, are three times more expensive than before. Many of my co-workers are facing the same problems, and they’re getting ready to strike, too.”

“We’ve been in negotiations for months, but the hotels don’t want to help us out in these hard times,” Coelho said. “I’m ready to show the hotel that I’m serious about winning a livable wage and securing a better future for myself and my daughter.”

“Hotel workers are preparing in earnest for a historic Citywide strike in Boston and across the U.S.,” Carlos Aramayo, president of UNITE HERE Local 26, said in a statement. “It’s unacceptable that hotel workers often struggle to afford basic necessities despite working for a big brand like Hilton or Marriott. Our work of providing high quality guest services and amenities should be protected, and guests should know they can expect the same experience that they had before Covid-19. After months of unsuccessful negotiations, hotel workers are ready to fight for what we deserve, and we’re going to win.”

Hotel workers across the U.S. are calling for higher wages, fair staffing and workloads, and the reversal of COVID-era cuts, according to the union. Many hotel workers are struggling to make ends meet with insufficient pay, often juggling multiple jobs to support their families.

Union officials said that too many hotels took advantage of the pandemic by cutting staffing and suspending guest services that were never restored, causing workers to lose jobs and income – and creating painful working conditions for those who carry the increased workload.

Last year, UNITE HERE members won record contracts after rolling strikes at Los Angeles hotels and a 47-day strike at Detroit casinos, union officials said.

UNITE HERE Local 26 has a history of successful labor strikes, including a 22-day strike at Harvard in 2016, a 46-day strike at Marriott hotels in 2018, and a 79-day strike at the Battery Wharf hotel in 2019, union officials said.

In June 2023, casino workers at Encore Boston Harbor in Everett voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike; it was averted when a tentative agreement was reached less than two days before the strike deadline.

UNITE HERE Local 26 represents workers in the hospitality industries of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Its members work in Boston and Providence’s best hotels, restaurants, and university dining halls in addition to the Boston Convention Centers, Fenway Park, and Logan International Airport.

“We clean hotel rooms, greet guests, and prepare and serve food for hundreds of thousands of travelers to Boston and the northeast,” union officials said in its statement.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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Boston, MA

MBTA riders

Published

8 hours ago

January 30, 2026

Press Room

Updated on: January 29, 2026 / 11:22 PM EST
/ CBS Boston

This week’s bitterly cold temperatures have served as a stress test for infrastructure in Massachusetts. The MBTA said its crews were working tirelessly and around the clock to keep trains in service.

Single digit temperatures, with the wind chill dropping below zero, have made for a tough commute following last weekend’s storm.

Delays on Red Line

All lines of the T experienced delays but riders on the Red Line seemed to experience some of the worst of it. “A lot of people were stressed out,” said Red Line rider Natalia Bauermeister. “Everyone wanted to get on the same train to get home fast. People were just like shoving each other and trying to get on the train.”

Videos posted to social media showed platforms packed with riders lined up five deep waiting for a train. Others complained of trains in “standby” mode at stations with their doors open in subzero temperatures. Many commuters experienced wait times of more than 30 minutes.

It took Brandon Ellis nearly two hours to get from Brookline to Dorchester. He said he ran into trouble at Park Street when he transferred from the Green to the Red Line.

“I do have a lot of patience, but the MBTA is known to break my patience,” said Ellis. “It was completely full. There were hundreds of people. They made us get off at Andrew then the next train was completely packed. Nobody could get on it.”

Older MBTA fleet struggling

The MBTA said the delays were the result of brutally cold temperatures impacting the track and trains. On the Red Line, most issues were with the older fleet struggling to run in this weather.

A spokesperson for the MBTA said the six newer trains on the Red Line were performing as expected, and if it were to only run those six trains and remove the older fleet, wait times would soar to more than 45 minutes on the line.

The MBTA said it has crews working around the clock to perform maintenance on trains and the tracks as needed. Those crews are working in these frigid temperatures.

“We appreciate our riders’ patience during any of the delays they may have experienced,” the MBTA said.

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Boston, MA

Philadelphia Flyers vs Boston Bruins: Odds, Spread, and Total

Published

20 hours ago

January 29, 2026

Press Room

Philadelphia Flyers vs Boston Bruins: Odds, Spread, and Total

The Philadelphia Flyers will attempt to improve their 24-19-9 record and the prevailing mood among their fans when paying a visit to the Boston Bruins for Thursday’s faceoff at 7:30 p.m. EST.

Philadelphia has only won two of its last 11 games, as fatigue strikes a lineup that was already losing steam. Thursday’s game will be the Flyers’ third in four nights after a 4-0 loss to the New York Islanders on Monday and 5-3 defeat in Columbus that spoiled Travis Konecny’s hat trick on Wednesday. Philadelphia went from scoring 11 times in two games to mustering just 21 shots against the Isles, followed by the Columbus letdown as the fading Flyers try not to plunge out of the Metropolitan Division’s top four.

Boston is in no such slump, having claimed an amazing 19 points from the last 11 Spokes dates. But with some irony, the Bruins can’t quite break into the top four in their Atlantic Division, still trying to fend off the defending champion Florida Panthers in the standings just below them. The Bruins have improved their record to 31-20-3 without making much headway in the race, making both clubs anxious in Boston.

Flyers +1.5 (-178)
Bruins -1.5 (+150)

Over 6.5 (+104)
Under 6.5 (-113)

Note: The above data was collected on Jan. 29, 2026, and may have changed since writing.

Philadelphia Flyers vs Boston Bruins Betting Trends

Totals have gone under in three of the last four meetings.
Boston has gone a perfect 7-0 on home ice in 2026.
The Flyers are 2-7-2 in their previous 11 games.

Philadelphia Flyers vs Boston Bruins Injury Reports

Centerman Rodrigo Abols is on injured reserve with an ankle injury.
Defenseman Ryan Ellis is out for the season with a back injury.
Winger Tyson Foerster is out for the season with an arm injury.
Goaltender Dan Vladar is probable with a lower-body injury.

Centerman Elias Lindholm is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
Defenseman Jordan Harris is questionable with an ankle injury.

Philadelphia Flyers vs Boston Bruins Predictions and Picks

It’s curious that the Flyers and Bruins had a total of six encounters in 2024 without meeting once in the calendar year of 2025. Bruins’ odds to win are boosted by this January’s home games going a perfect 7-0 for Boston, just as Philly deals with Trevor Zegras’ zero goals in the previous five games. Coach Rich Tocchet is criticizing Zegras for a lack of “pace,” as told by Joe DeMarini of Broad Street Buzz.

Boston’s star forward David Pastrnak is skating with plenty of pace, currently sixth in the league with 69 points in 49 games played. But even when Pasta is cooking, it’s the sniping ability of 27-year-old Morgan Geekie that is stirring the drinks at TD Garden. Geekie, on a career pace with 30 goals this season, has scored in three straight games for the Bruins, netting two assists in Boston’s prior 4-3 win over Vegas.

The Flyers’ power play ranks 30th in the NHL, a sign that not even a rash of Bruins penalties could save the Flyers’ effort in Boston. Tocchet has become frustrated enough to pull the ailing Dan Vladar or another goalie too early with a one-goal deficit, making Boston into a more potent puck-line bet.

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Boston, MA

With snow still piled up, Boston says it’s time to remove your space saver

Published

1 day ago

January 29, 2026

Press Room

With snow still piled up, Boston says it’s time to remove your space saver

Mounds of snow continue to make getting around Boston difficult, and a new hurdle for drivers came Wednesday.

The city allows drivers to use space savers — objects placed in a street space that’s already been dug out — for 48 hours after the end of a snow emergency. That deadline came at 8 p.m. Wednesday.

“You have 48 hours to use a space saver after the end of a declared snow emergency,” the city wrote. “By 8 p.m. Wednesday, January 28, you need to remove it from the street.”

Boston added that space savers can never be used in Bay Village or the South End.

The Boston area experienced significant snowfall Sunday into Monday. While road crews have kept busy since then, huge piles of snow still sit along the sides of the city’s streets — which have become more narrow, along with sidewalks, as drivers and pedestrians are forced to navigate blocked paths.

“City gets rid of snow, I’ll get rid of my space saver,” the top comment under Boston’s Facebook post read.

A shortage of rock salt after one major storm is impacting preparation for more possible snow this weekend.

Residents living on Whiting Street in Roxbury told NBC10 Boston Wednesday that they weren’t surprised it took two days for a plow to come through. They said it’s frustrating, but they kept calling 311 until the snow was cleared.

“We’ve lived here since 1988,” said Bolade Owolewa. “It’s been a problem on and on.”

Boston requires property owners to remove snow from sidewalks within three hours of snow ending. Some remained unshoveled days later, including along Washington Street.

The city issues citations to property owners, but that doesn’t make it easier for people living in the area to get around.

“It’s very dangerous and it’s very slippery,” said Roxbury resident Sigal Pudasaini.

Getting around Boston requires some patience after this weekend’s snowfall, whether you’re walking or driving.

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