Hotel Housekeepers Global Week of Action: December 9-15

Toronto – December 4, 2024 – From December 9 to 15, hotel housekeepers around the world unite for the Global Week of Action to raise awareness about the critical issues they face in the hospitality industry. This annual event highlights the essential work performed by hotel housekeepers and demands improved working conditions, fair wages, and greater respect.

While the recovery in the hospitality industry is reflected in the balance sheets of companies and employers, the problems facing housekeepers persist. Workers continue to face increasing workloads, extended hours, erratic shifts, and increased outsourcing, all while being pressured to complete their assigned tasks quickly. In turn, employers complain of a “labor shortage” but fail to address the core issue: improving the sector by better enhancing working conditions.

These challenges are particularly threatening to the health and safety of women workers, who make up the majority of hotel housekeepers. Overloaded work schedules, grueling shifts, and imposed work rhythms not only put physical strain on workers but also expose them to harassment and sexual harassment in the workplace. These unsafe conditions jeopardize both their mental and physical well-being, leaving many workers vulnerable to injury, illness, and exploitation.

The Global Week of Action also highlights the importance of the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) framework, which since 2022, has included the right to a safe and healthy working environment as a fundamental principle. By acknowledging the serious risks posed to housekeepers, the ILO’s inclusion of this principle reinforces the need for systemic change within the hospitality industry.

To show your support, use the hashtag #MakeMyWorkplaceSafe and tag @UFCWCanada to share photos, messages of support and solidarity across the global hospitality industry.

As an affiliate of the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tourism, Tobacco, and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF), UFCW Canada expresses global solidarity with workers around the world. To learn more about the IUF, click here.