{"id":470233,"date":"2022-07-03T22:51:34","date_gmt":"2022-07-03T19:51:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/short-staffed-hotels-are-hiring-robots-as-unions-push-back\/"},"modified":"2022-07-03T22:51:34","modified_gmt":"2022-07-03T19:51:34","slug":"short-staffed-hotels-are-hiring-robots-as-unions-push-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/short-staffed-hotels-are-hiring-robots-as-unions-push-back\/","title":{"rendered":"#Short-staffed hotels are hiring robots as unions push back"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3a865596f75\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3a865596f75\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/short-staffed-hotels-are-hiring-robots-as-unions-push-back\/#%E2%80%9CShort-staffed_hotels_are_hiring_robots_as_unions_push_back%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Short-staffed hotels are hiring robots as unions push back&#8221;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CShort-staffed_hotels_are_hiring_robots_as_unions_push_back%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;Short-staffed hotels are hiring robots as unions push back&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignleft\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>A fledgling line of robots has begun to fill jobs at short-staffed hotels \u2014 and labor groups are sounding alarms.<\/p>\n<p>A handful of hotels across the US \u2013 from the Mandarin Oriental in Boston to a Holiday Inn Express in Redwood City, Calif. \u2013 have begun turning to robots to provide guest services usually performed by human employees.<\/p>\n<p>Need an extra towel? Forget your shampoo? Order takeout from Uber Eats? A robot with a name like Alfred, Jeffrey, Alina or Mobi will deliver \u2014 not with a knock on your door upon arrival, but typically with a ping to your phone.<\/p>\n<p>The rolling bots are decorated with decals like bowties and wear vinyl wraps that resemble hotel uniforms. They even crack jokes on their digital screens. (What do robots do on the holidays?\u00a0Recharge their batteries. How does a robot eat M&amp;Ms? In megabytes.)<\/p>\n<p>Labor unions don\u2019t find the idea of robots working at a hotel funny, much less robot jokes. Organizers fear the budding army of automatons, which currently numbers at least 200 nationwide, is threatening to grow and replace dues-paying members. The issue is bubbling up in the hospitality industry even as it has lately sparked division in other sectors amid a nationwide labor shortage. That includes talks between port operators and West Coast dock workers whose labor contract expired on July 1.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are not going to stop new <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"Technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">technology<\/a>,\u201d said D. Taylor, International President of Unite Here, which represents 300,000 hospitality workers across the US and Canada. \u201cBut the question is, are you going to be part of the process or run over by it?\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/alfred-robot-hotel-03-.jpg?w=768\" alt=\"Alfred the robot in the hotel lobby.\" class=\"wp-image-22891192\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/alfred-robot-hotel-03-.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/alfred-robot-hotel-03-.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1152 1152w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/alfred-robot-hotel-03-.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=768 768w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/alfred-robot-hotel-03-.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=384 384w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/alfred-robot-hotel-03-.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\"\/><figcaption>Alfred delivers sundries and other items to hotel guests\u2019 rooms.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Amanda Akiki<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Units from Relay Robotics of Campbell, Calif. are about the size of R2-D2 from \u201cStar Wars.\u201d In addition to quirky names, the robots come with lidded storage bins on top where items can be locked while they glide through the lobby and hallways. Sensors prevent crashes with guests and housekeeping carts.<\/p>\n<p>Adding robots to the payroll has become less far-fetched as hotels face a severe labor crunch as the pandemic wanes and tourism resumes. Proponents of high-tech strategies note that the hospitality industry lost 1.3 million jobs over the past two years, according to the American Hotel &amp; Lodging Association. Some 49% of hoteliers say their properties are \u201cseverely understaffed,\u201d according to the trade group. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are operating right now with 40% less human capital than we had before the pandemic,\u201d said Vaughn Davis, <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/general\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"General\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">general<\/a> manager of the Dream Hollywood hotel in Los Angeles, which has added two Relay robots \u2013 Alfred and Jeffrey \u2013 to the property since September 2020 to offset the shortage.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201c<\/strong>There are people who simply don\u2019t want to work in hotels anymore<strong>,\u201d<\/strong> Davis added.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"684\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Vaughn-Davis-GM.jpg?w=684\" alt=\"Vaugh Davis\" class=\"wp-image-22891226\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Vaughn-Davis-GM.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1368 1368w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Vaughn-Davis-GM.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1025 1026w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Vaughn-Davis-GM.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=684 684w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Vaughn-Davis-GM.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=342 342w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Vaughn-Davis-GM.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 684px) 100vw, 684px\"\/><figcaption>Vaugh Davis is the general manager of the Dream Hollywood hotel in Beverly Hills.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Dream Hollywood<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Dream Hotel Group, which has 30 properties in the pipeline around the world, plans to lean into robotics for its future hotels, according to Davis. \u201cThe majority of our new properties will have robots, which are becoming part of our service culture,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Relay\u2019s robots cost about $2,000 a month to lease. Rival Bear Robotics, a Redwood City, Calif. firm that focuses primarily on the restaurant industry, introduced a model this year called Servi that\u2019s also aimed at hotels. The five-year-old firm has raised $112 million altogether \u2014 including $81 million in March. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are also looking at developing vacuuming robots that can clean the hallways,\u201d Relay Robotics CEO Michael O\u2019Donnell told The Post.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not clear how many hotel properties have installed Bear\u2019s room-service robots. The company didn\u2019t respond to requests for comment.<\/p>\n<p>Unions pose a significant hurdle for adoption. In New York City, where the New York Hotel and Gaming Trades Council holds significant sway over the industry, there <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ears to be just one property \u2013 the 130-room Luma Hotel in Times Square \u2013 that has a room service robot supplied by Relay.\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/alina-luna-hotel-1.jpg?w=768\" alt=\"Robot Alina recharging against the wall at the Luma Hotel Times Square.\" class=\"wp-image-22891449\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/alina-luna-hotel-1.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/alina-luna-hotel-1.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1152 1152w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/alina-luna-hotel-1.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=768 768w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/alina-luna-hotel-1.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=384 384w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/alina-luna-hotel-1.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\"\/><figcaption>The Luma Hotel Times Square is believed to be the only property in NYC that has a room service robot.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Lisa Fickenscher<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>O\u2019Donnell conceded that gaining a robotic foothold in cities like New York is a challenge. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have been more successful in non-union hotels,\u201d  O\u2019Donnell said. \u201cWe have to figure out how to engage the unions,\u201d he added, suggesting that his company\u2019s robots might one day pay union dues or even share a percentage of the leasing fees with unions.<\/p>\n<p>Unite Here is trying to throw a wrench into the industry\u2019s adoption of robots and other technology that it deems threatening to its survival. In labor contracts with hotels in Las Vegas, San Francisco, Boston and Hawaii, the union requires 180 days notice before new technologies are implemented, Taylor said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDuring COVID, hotels were not going to spend the capital on robots, but as the industry recovers we will see it more,\u201d Taylor predicted, pointing to front desk clerks, room service employees and doormen as the most at-risk jobs.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Geoffrey-and-Alfred-2.jpg?w=768\" alt=\"Hotel robots\" class=\"wp-image-22891531\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Geoffrey-and-Alfred-2.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Geoffrey-and-Alfred-2.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1152 1152w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Geoffrey-and-Alfred-2.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=768 768w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Geoffrey-and-Alfred-2.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=384 384w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Geoffrey-and-Alfred-2.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\"\/><figcaption>Labor groups are watching the robot trend warily, worried that they will eventually replace some hotel workers.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Dream Hollywood<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cAutomation is often listed as a promising innovation for cutting labor costs in the hospitality industry,\u201d said Rich Maroko, head of the New York Trades Council. \u201cBut anyone who understands the job of a room attendant understands that no robot or technology could possibly replace a human.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI know how to get staff,\u201d Taylor adds. \u201cPay more.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>For now, some hoteliers view the robots as a novelty to delight their guests, O\u2019Donnell said, pointing to the Mandarin Oriental\u2019s robot,<strong> <\/strong>Mobi, who was hired in 2020. <\/p>\n<p>Mobi joined the luxury property\u2019s staff at a time when guests wanted more \u201ccontactless interactions,\u201d spokesperson Danielle McNally said. \u201cBut we\u2019ve kept him on board because he\u2019s become an entertainment fixture.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>But other properties that are strapped for labor are using the robots to help with hard to fill night shifts where there might be just one person working at the front desk.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have just scratched the surface of what we can do,\u201d Davis said.\n                        <\/p><\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a> articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2022\/07\/03\/short-staffed-hotels-are-hiring-robots-and-unions-are-pushing-back\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Short-staffed hotels are hiring robots as unions push back&#8221; A fledgling line of robots has begun to fill jobs at short-staffed hotels \u2014 and labor groups are sounding alarms. A handful of hotels across the US \u2013 from the Mandarin Oriental in Boston to a Holiday Inn Express in Redwood City, Calif. \u2013 have begun&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":470234,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/alfred-robot-hotel-99-feature.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=1024","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[7309,130923,4969,5049],"class_list":["post-470233","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-unions","tag-7-3-22","tag-hotels","tag-robots"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/470233","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=470233"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/470233\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/470234"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=470233"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=470233"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=470233"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}