2,500 Marriott workers go on strike in San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Approximately 2,500 Marriott Hotel workers walked off their job Thursday in San Francisco and onto a picket line, demanding a new contract and higher wages.

This is affecting seven hotels in the city that are owned or operated by Marriott.

RELATED: South Bay Marriott Hotel workers on strike say Silicon Valley location is impacting their lives

Chanting, "Don't check in, check out" on the picket line, hotel workers tried to dissuade tourists from checking into the Marriott Marquis in San Francisco. It wasn't clear if they were having much success, but Thursday was about letting people know most of them are not making ends meet.

"Our key demands are a contract that delivers on economic fairness. It's so hard for workers to make ends meet in today's Bay Area," said Anand Singh, President of Unite Here Local 2.

Singh introduced us to Larrilou Carumba, a single mom of three. As a hotel housekeeper, she earns $23 an hour -- a decent wage if you don't have to live in the Bay Area. What she takes home after taxes fluctuates depending on how much overtime she gets.

"Oh, it's like 500 to 600 a week," said Carumba, who told me it wasn't enough to live on.

She actually lives in San Leandro, which is slightly cheaper.

OK, so let's say on average, she takes home $550 dollars a week. That's about $2,400 dollars a month. Her monthly rent is $1,400. That leaves her with $1,000 to pay for her bills, car, food and other basic needs for her and her children.

"I have a second job after I work here from 9 to 5. I work in a laundromat," she told us.

Unite Here Local 2 also represents dishwashers, bellmen, cooks and maintenance workers. They are asking for better wages and job security.

In a statement, Marriott International said, "We are disappointed that Unite Here has chosen to resort to a strike at this time. During the strike, our hotels are open and we stand ready to provide excellent service to our guests."

Jude Barry visiting from Connecticut said, so far, the strike hasn't been much of an inconvenience for her.

"It is what it is. I can make my own bed. I'm good with making my own bed. It's good, it's fine. I have enough towels. I don't have a new fresh towel every day in my house so I don't need to do that here, too," said Barry.