Dec. 16, 2010 at 5:32 a.m.
Filed under:
Conventions,
Hotels,
Labor,
Unions
By Julie Wernau
Workers picket outside the Palmer House Hilton Thursday. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Tribune)
In the second such demonstration at a Hilton property in two months, workers at the Palmer House Hilton are on temporary strike today.
The strike at the property at 17 E. Monroe St. is joined by similar strikes at Hiltons in Honolulu and San Francisco and follows a 3-day strike two months ago at Hilton Chicago.
Unite Here Local 1 union spokeswoman Annemarie Strassel said workers are “outraged that Hilton finagled $180 million in bailout funds” while their expired contracts lingered. Get the full story »
By Sandra M. Jones
Merz Apothecary will close its store inside Macy’s on State Street at the end of the day Wednesday, and begin the week-long process of moving to the Palmer House a few blocks away.
The family-owned business, known for its homeopathic remedies and colorful bath products, plans to open at the historic hotel at 17 E. Monroe St. on Nov. 4. A grand opening is slated for Nov. 11.
The new location at the historic hotel — on the first floor near the bellhop and the Starbucks — will expose the Chicago retailer to thousands of tourists a day, said Anthony Qaiyum, owner of Merz. Get the full story »
Aug. 20, 2010 at 5:49 a.m.
Filed under:
Hotels,
Labor,
Tourism,
Travel,
Unions
By Tribune staff report
Hilton Hotels workers in Chicago voted Thursday night to authorize a strike at the Chicago Hilton, Hilton O’Hare, the Palmer House Hilton and the Drake, according to Unite Here Local 1 and Local 450.
The union said 96 percent of its members voted in favor of a strike, which authorizes the bargaining committee to call a strike, if necessary. They are the third group of hotel workers in nine months to hold such a vote in the wake of unsettled contract negotiations between Chicago hotels and the union. Get the full story »
