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75 hotel workers arrested at Labor Day protest in California

September 4, 2018 GMT

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San Francisco supervisor Rafael Mandelman was arrested with hotel workers in front of the J. W. Marriott's Westin St. Francis hotel on Monday, Sept. 3, 2018, in San Francisco. Police say dozens of hotel workers protesting outside the hotel on Labor Day were arrested for blocking a street in one of the city's busiest tourist areas. A union spokesman says many hotel workers hold two jobs to support their families and their salaries have increased by 7 percent in a decade. (Liz Hafalia/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco police arrested 75 hotel workers protesting outside the J. W. Marriott’s Westin St. Francis hotel on Labor Day for blocking a street in one of the city’s busiest tourist areas.

About 900 Marriott hotel workers demonstrated Monday at Union Square as they consider a vote to authorize a strike, said Unite Here Local 2 spokesman Ted Waechter.

He said 8,000 workers in more than 50 hotels in San Francisco and six other North American cities are working without a contract.

Waechter says many hotel workers hold two jobs to support their families and their salaries have increased only by 7 percent in a decade.

A Marriott spokesman said the hotel has a longstanding and productive relationship with Unite Here and is negotiating in good faith.

San Francisco Police spokeswoman Officer Grace Gatpandan said those arrested face misdemeanor charges of failing to obey a police officer.