A labor conflict involving hotel workers in Merida, Mexico has come to an end after a marathon meeting at the Government Palace between union representatives, businessmen, and state officials.
The strike, which began on Friday at the Los Aluxes hotel and was set to spread to other hotels, including the Hyatt and Holiday Inn, had threatened to disrupt the tourist industry in the region. However, after 12 hours of negotiations, an agreement was reached to avert the strike and end the labor conflict.
The union had been demanding a 30% salary increase, but ultimately agreed to accept a 13.5% increase. This compromise allowed for the removal of red and black flags from the Los Aluxes hotel, marking the end of the strike.
The Hyatt hotel, which had been scheduled to participate in the strike, was evacuated on Thursday night, with 543 guests relocated to other hotels. The strike’s threat had already cost the hotel around eight million pesos (approximately $400,000 USD) in losses due to canceled reservations and lost business.
State officials, including Omar Pérez Avilés, General Secretary of Government, and Juan José Martín Pacheco, President of the Association of Hotels and Motels, played a key role in mediating the negotiations. The government’s intervention helped to avoid what could have been a disastrous impact on the local tourism industry.
The agreement reached yesterday paves the way for the Los Aluxes hotel to reopen its doors today at noon, with operations expected to return to normal by next Tuesday. The resolution of this labor conflict is seen as a significant victory for the state government and the hotel industry in Merida.
Source: Diario de Yucatan
