UNITE-HERE Local 2, which has been waging various street actions against the largest hotels in the city, is now escalating the struggle by calling for a boycott of 7 major hotels including the Hilton San Francisco Union Square, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Fisherman's Wharf, Le Meridien Hotel, Palace Hotel, Westin St. Francis and the W Hotel. The workers are asking for a modest contract that would increase wages by 1.5%. These hotels are dug in against the union while having been able to produce soaring profits despite the economic crisis. The CEO for the Blackstone Group which owns the Hilton Chain made over a billion dollars in 2008 while the average union hotel workers make $30,000 a year. Local 2 is going to continue to come up with sporadic actions againgst these hotels and calls for all progressive people to come out in support.