Thousands of San Francisco hotel workers and their supporters gathered for a march on Thursday, August 31st, at 4:15pm, next to the Four Seasons on Market Street between 3rd and 4th Streets. At 5pm, a group of over 60 activists sat down in front of the main doors of the Palace Hotel, blocking the entrance in an act of civil disobedience. The police soon moved in and arrested them; they were quickly cited and released. Photos: 1 | 2 | 3

On August 24th, over 93% of San Francisco hotel workers voted to give union leadership the authority to call a strike, if necessary. These UNITE HERE! Local 2 workers have been working without a contract for two years, and have not received a raise in three years. Beyond Chron says that the union estimates that the 2004 strike and lockout, and the ongoing boycott of the last two years have cost the MEG hotels around $100 million in lost business. Read more

Indybay's Coverage of July 2006 Hotel Worker Protests | Indybay's Coverage of the Hotel Workers from 2004 and 2005 | UNITE HERE! Hotel Strike Will Unleash Perfect Storm | UNITE HERE! Local 2 | Hotel Workers Rising | Sleep with the Right People