Hyatt hotels continue to operate normally, and our guests are enjoying the authentic hospitality they have come to know and expect.

We are gratified that so many of our employees came into work today, in spite of efforts by leaders of UniteHere to organize work stoppages in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Waikiki.

We are particularly grateful that in Los Angeles, our employees chose not to go on strike at Hyatt Regency Century Plaza, in spite of pressure to do so from UniteHere leadership. During these difficult economic times, we know that our employees want to work, which is shown by so many of them who have told us that they want the union to end these drawn-out negotiations.

"Many of our associates have told us today that they are supporting our efforts to reach a settlement," said Farley Kern, vice-president, Corporate Communications, Hyatt Hotels Corp. "Our general managers have heard many positive reactions, such as, ‘Hyatt has been good to me, and I will always show up for Hyatt.'

"We wish that the union leaders had settled these contracts, so our associates could have been spared a work stoppage that has nothing to do with their wages and benefits.  We are anxious to award increases to our hard working employees."

Hyatt knows that our employees want the contract negotiations to be resolved as much as we do. It is unfortunate that union leaders have rejected the same wage and benefits package they already accepted from Hilton, Starwood and InterContinental.  Our associates have earned and deserve these wage and benefit increases, and we hope that UniteHere will either accept them or return to the bargaining table to complete negotiations, rather than continuing to hold up negotiations in an effort to organize certain non-union hotels.

Hyatt provides our associates with industry-leading wages and benefits, and we want the chance to offer our associates the raises and increased benefits that they have earned.

Hyatt is a recognized leader as an employer, as media from Chicago to California have included Hyatt hotels on their Best Places to Work lists. The AARP named Hyatt as a top employer for older Americans, and CareerBliss recently named Hyatt the happiest hotel.