PHOENIX — Workers at a downtown Phoenix hotel walked out on strike during the men's Final Four.
Employees at the Sheraton Downtown Phoenix hotel walked out on strike to protest allegations of unlawful behavior by hotel management, according to a news release from UNITE HERE Local 11, a labor union representing more than 32,000 hospitality workers in Southern California and Arizona.
Workers began picket lines at three Marriott hotels downtown on Wednesday, according to the news release.
"College basketball players, staff, and fans at the Sheraton, Renaissance, and Westin hotels, all designated 'host hotels' for the NCAA Final Four Tournament, were met with chanting and drumming by hundreds of workers in red shirts from morning to evening," the news release stated.
The news release alleges the unlawful behavior hotel management participated in includes alleged interrogation and alleged surveillance tactics, as well as the alleged unlawful termination of two union employees.
"We are saddened that the NCAA made the choice to book the teams playing in the Final Four in at least two hotels who have refused to pay a living wage for the last nine months," UNITE HERE 11 said in a statement posted to "X," formerly known as Twitter.
Marriott provided this statement to 12News:
"We understand that Unite Here representatives have been actively encouraging our downtown Phoenix hotel associates to engage in a work stoppage since this morning. All of our associates scheduled to work at the Renaissance and Westin and approximately two-thirds of those scheduled to work at the Sheraton came to work today.
We respect those associates who exercised their right to refrain from working and those who chose to come to work. We remain available and willing to negotiate in good faith for a fair contract that is in the best interest of our associates, our guests, and our owners.
In the meantime, we have well-established protocols in place to operate our hotels and take care of our guests in the event of any impact to staffing."
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