Workers at two major Big Island hotels—Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa and Hilton Waikoloa Village— are taking action to demand fair contracts. Faced with lowball wage

proposals, short staffing, and employer stalling, ILWU Local 142 members have mobilized in force, using picket lines to turn up the heat on their employers.

Pickets See Young Workers

On January 30, workers at Outrigger Kona held the first picket at a Hawaiʻi Division hotel in

at least a decade, defying rain forecasts to send a clear message to management: they will not settle for crumbs. The company had entered negotiations in early January with the expectation that workers would roll over. Instead, union members proved they were ready to fight. 

Outrigger Kona has long been one of the most anti-union hotels in Hawaiʻi. While the hotel presents itself as a high-end luxury boutique resort in the unique, historic Keauhou region, its workers have faced wages that have lagged behind industry standards and other Kona coast hotels, excessive healthcare costs, and blatant disrespect from management.

Compounding this hostility, on Maui last year, Outrigger management engaged in anti-union activities at the Kāʻanapali Beach Hotel (KBH) in the middle of negotiations—a clear attempt to weaken the union’s bargaining power. On Oʻahu in 2024, the Outrigger in Waikīkī poured resources into a union-busting campaign as workers unsuccessfully attempted to unionize with Local 5. 

Recognizing that the Outrigger thrives on employee fear and division, Outrigger Kona workers took action early. Hawaiʻi Division leadership introduced open bargaining—a first for this unit—and conducted successful contract surveys and a mass button-up campaign. But as negotiations dragged on, management refused to budge on key issues like wages, prompting workers to escalate their fight. 

Despite storm warnings, the January 30th picket saw very strong participation. Workers turned out in force for a pre-shift picket in the morning before negotiations, followed by a large afternoon picket from 3-5 p.m. The impact was immediate. The morning picket applied enough pressure that management finally moved on wages. Meanwhile, guests began to complain that the labor dispute was affecting their stay, forcing the company to address the disruption.

One particularly notable moment came when a group of pilots staying at the hotel initially complained to a Business Agent about the noise disrupting their rest. But after a conversation about the nature of the picket, the pilots—union members themselves—shifted their frustration toward the hotel, arguing that the labor dispute was compromising their ability to perform their jobs safely. The pilots took their complaints straight to management, increasing the pressure on Outrigger to settle fairly.

The picket also marked a turning point for young workers at Outrigger Kona. Many had never been involved in union action before but stepped up into leadership roles on the picket line. Their energy is now fueling efforts to unionize non-union workers at the hotel, who have been watching closely and are now moving toward organizing themselves.

Hilton Waikoloa Workers for Fair Share 

Less than a month later, on February 25, workers at Hilton Waikoloa Village took to the picket line in one of the largest labor demonstrations in the Hawaiʻi Division in recent memory. Over a third of the hotel’s 600-member workforce joined the five-hour picket, sending a powerful message to their employer.

Hilton Waikoloa is the second most profitable Hilton hotel in the world, owned by Park Hotels, the same company that operates Hilton Hawaiian Village. Despite its massive revenues and recent record contract negotiations with Local 5 in Waikīkī, Park Hotels attempted to play hardball with ILWU members on the Big Island. Management’s initial wage proposal—just 62 cents per year over five years—was a slap in the face, especially considering that the company had just spent $22 million renovating one of its four luxury towers.

Hilton Waikoloa workers had been preparing for this fight for nearly a year. Mobilization efforts began in April 2024 with membership meetings and contract surveys, followed by a petition campaign over stagnant wages. Workers added humor to their messaging campaign, dubbing the company’s current wages as “P.O.O.P.” wages— Priced Out of Paradise—reflecting the deep frustration of employees struggling to keep up with Hawaiʻi’s soaring cost of living. 

Among the most dedicated fighters in this contract battle are long-time Hilton Waikoloa workers who have been with the hotel since it opened. Some have delayed their retirement specifically to see this fight through, ensuring that future generations of hotel workers get the wages and benefits they deserve.

When contract negotiations began in early 2025, members saw firsthand just how little the company valued them. Open bargaining sessions drew widespread attendance, with nearly 150 members filtering in throughout the day to witness negotiations. Tipped workers, often uncertain about whether their interests align with non-tipped employees, were surprised to see strong proposals that would benefit them as well. Seeing their union leadership fight for their pay helped galvanize support across different classifications. 

But Hilton management continued to stall, making only minor adjustments to their wage offers and failing to take negotiations seriously. In response, workers escalated. They decided to take their fight outside the hotel, resulting in the February 25 picket. 

The turnout was remarkable. Workers from every department— housekeeping, front desk, banquets, maintenance, food and beverage— showed up in force. Many spent their entire day off on the picket line. Solidarity extended beyond the hotel as well: ILWU members from West Hawaiʻi Community Hospital and Mauna Kea Beach Hotel joined the fight, along with members from the Fairmont Orchid and Mauna Lani. One union member’s brother and friend, fresh off work at nearby grocery store Island Gourmet, stopped by to support the picket, while the daughter of two Hilton workers spent the entire day marching with the strikers. 

Keeping it Hot in Kona, Kohala 

Outrigger Kona members conducted one more picket on April 1, prior to resuming negotiations through the remainder of the week. Hilton Waikoloa members attended a Contract Action Team training and are currently mobilizing more members. 

The full impact of these actions has yet to be seen as both hotels remain in negotiations as of early April. But the energy, courage, and empowerment of these strategic actions are changing the culture of ILWU negotiations to one of mass member participation and negotiation committees that can show the employer that the members have their back. Leaders from both hotels continue to assess negotiations and plan strategic actions accordingly. 

Hotel workers on the Big Island are showing the impact of member unity and action. And as their struggle continues, both history and recent contracts tell us—when workers stand together, they win.