Hotel workers’ union UNITE HERE has issued a travel advisory for Graduate Hotels by Hilton amid potential labor disputes. Graduate Hotels are owned by AJ Capital Partners, and their preferred operator is Schulte Hospitality Group.
Travelers to Graduate Hotels should be advised that Graduate Hotels abruptly closed one hotel in New York and fired staff at a second hotel in Palo Alto. The Graduate New York on Cornell Tech’s campus closed abruptly in November 2025, just days before the Thanksgiving holiday. The Graduate Palo Alto near Stanford fired the majority of its non-managerial staff with no notice in April 2026 but is still operating.
Workers at the Graduate by Hilton Berkeley and soon-to-be Graduate Boulderado Hotel in Boulder, Colorado are demanding a fair process to decide on a union. They report experiencing short staffing, heavy workloads, and wages that aren’t keeping up with the cost of living.
“I am fighting for the union because it’s difficult to pay my bills as a single mom. With the cost of everything, I am struggling to keep up with my bills and to afford things for my daughter,” said Rosalva Rodriguez, a Housekeeper at the Graduate by Hilton Berkeley. “I can’t afford the health insurance the company offers. I worry so much that if I get sick or anything happens to me, I wouldn’t be able to afford it.”
The union urges travelers sign the Graduate workers’ national pledge to show support. Fairhotel.org is the union’s hotel guide and a recommended resource to avoid hotels under labor dispute.
“UNITE HERE is at the forefront of raising the standards for workers at hotels across the United States and Canada. We are invested in working with hoteliers to improve their labor conditions. We’re proud of the work we’ve done to turn hospitality jobs into jobs you can raise a family on,” said Gwen Mills, President of UNITE HERE International. “UNITE HERE will continue to monitor the situation facing workers at Graduate by Hilton hotels. UNITE HERE calls on Graduate hotels and AJ Capital Partners to come to a speedy resolution in favor of workers who are demanding a fair process to decide on a union.”
UNITE HERE is a labor union that represents 300,000 working people across Canada and the United States. UNITE HERE members work in the hotel, gaming, food service, manufacturing, textile, distribution, laundry, transportation, and airport industries.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260720266977/en/
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