Union hotel workers protested outside the Hyatt Regency in Chicago on Friday, seeking fair wages and a new contract, while the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) held their Socialism 2026 conference inside the venue. The protest occurred as the DSA hosted a panel discussion titled “Workers Deserve More,” focusing on rebuilding labor power.
More than 7,000 Chicago hotel workers have been operating without a contract since agreements covering 46 hotels expired Monday night. UNITE HERE Local 1 members, many in uniform, held signs reading “No contract” as they picketed outside the upscale hotel.
Inside, DSA leaders discussed their platform. Ashik Siddique, national DSA co-chair, emphasized the need to "rebuild labor power" by having "people pushing for way more radical things with way more power in sectors of the economy and the workplaces." He spoke about the threat of organized workers potentially disrupting profits.
The Hyatt Regency is owned by the Pritzker family, a wealthy Chicago-based family with an estimated net worth of $41 billion, according to a 2024 Forbes estimate. The family has a history of labor disputes with Chicago hotel workers concerning wages, contract violations, and alleged union-busting tactics at their hotels. The Socialism conference has been hosted at this Hyatt location annually since at least 2022.
Brian Costin, who posted footage of the protest on X, questioned the juxtaposition of the conference's theme and the labor action outside. "Why is Hasan Piker and the DSA speaking at the Socialism 2026 conference inside the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place today, while Unite Here Local 1 workers protest outside for fair wages and a contract?" he asked. "Will the 2026 Socialism Conference stand in solidarity with the workers? Will they cancel the conference in protest? Apparently, socialist solidarity ends at the hotel doors."
Thomas Pritzker, the family's executive chairman, stepped down from his role earlier this year following controversy surrounding his past ties to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Records indicate past communications between Pritzker and Epstein, including an email exchange in 2018 where Pritzker responded with a smiley-face emoji to a message about finding a new girlfriend for Epstein.