The Yankees Crossed A Hotel Strike Picket Line In Boston

Spencer Buell, Boston Magazine, October 4, 2018:

As Boston hotel cleaners, cooks, servers, and other employees chanted and marched their way through day two of their historic strike on Thursday, they spotted some infamous guests walking through their picket line at the Ritz-Carlton: The New York Yankees.

Workers at seven of the city's Marriott-run hotels who are calling for more stable schedules, a living wage, and more on-the-job protections, have been on strike since Wednesday morning. They spent Thursday appearing outside the entrances to the hotels chanting "Don't check in! Check out!" and urging potential guests to stay elsewhere until the hotel company meets their demands.

But that message, it seems, was lost on the Yankees. Video obtained by Boston shows several players, including outfielder Brett Gardner and pitcher Dellin Betances, rolling their suitcases past the protest as workers paced, waved signs, and played the drums on overturned buckets.

Whitney McIntosh, SB Nation, October 4, 2018:

A two-day strike is underway in Boston after months of negotiations failed to get hotel workers at seven Marriott properties in the city stable hours, job stability, protections against the rise of automation, and updated sexual harassment protocols. ...

Teams have their usual hotels in each city they travel to, and the Ritz-Carlton happens to be the Yankees' normal lodgings near Fenway Park in Boston. A team's traveling party is large, making it difficult to change plans even with a few days notice as we've seen in the past with sudden weather or travel complications.

But even if an accident, it's not a great look for the team. Baseball players are unionized workers themselves, and unionized workers who are experiencing potential wage suppression by owners when it comes to their own contracts.

In a statement to SB Nation the MLB Players Association said of the situation,

From what we understand, these workers have been trying to negotiate a fair contract for more than six months. They deserve to be heard and deserve our support.

The Yankees did not respond to a request for comment.

The Edmonton Oilers crossed the picket line last Sunday. Unite Here Local 26 President Brian Lang: "It's very disappointing, and there's no other word for [the Oilers] except 'scabs' ... They certainly make enough money to go to another hotel that isn't on strike."