Workers at six Chicago hotels went on strike on Friday, October 9, 2026, ahead of Sunday's Chicago Marathon. Their union, UNITE HERE Local 1, says strikes could be called at more hotels at any time.
If you have a downtown Chicago stay booked this weekend or in the coming weeks, check whether your hotel is on the list before you go.
Which Hotels Are on Strike
The union's list, dated October 9, 2026, names six hotels:
- Millennium Hotel Knickerbocker Chicago
- Palmer House a Hilton Hotel
- Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk
- Waldorf Astoria Chicago
- The Westin Chicago River North
- The Westin Michigan Avenue Chicago
The Palmer House and Waldorf Astoria are Hilton hotels, and the Sheraton Grand and both Westins are Marriott Bonvoy hotels. Room attendants, cooks, dishwashers, bellmen, front desk staff and bartenders are among the workers who walked out.
Why They're Striking
Contracts at Hilton, Marriott and Hyatt hotels in Chicago expired on August 31, 2026. The talks cover more than 7,000 workers at 46 hotels, and 85% of members voted in September to authorize strikes. The union says workers want better wages, pensions and healthcare, civil rights protections and safer workloads.
The union's travel alert site, Chicago Travel Alert, lists the hotels currently on strike. That's the page to check, because the list can grow without much warning.
What You Should Do
Start with the union's list. If your hotel isn't on it today, check again the day before you travel.
If your hotel is on it, contact the hotel and ask what's running: housekeeping, restaurants and room service are the services most likely to matter for your stay. Then look at your reservation, in the Hilton Honors or Marriott Bonvoy app or your booking confirmation, and note the cancellation deadline. If your rate is refundable and you'd rather not stay at a hotel during a strike, you can move before that deadline passes.
If you're booking now, you can choose a hotel that isn't on the list.
The Bottom Line
Six downtown hotels are on strike as of October 9, 2026, and the union says more could follow. Check the list before you travel, find your cancellation deadline, and decide early whether to stay or move.
