Agreement Between Airbnb and Labor Union Falls Through
Photo Credit: Airbnb's reported agreement with one of the biggest labor unions in the U.S. has fallen through, just days after the company launched its largest marketing campaign to date. Airbnb
Skift Take
An SEIU partnership would have helped Airbnb score brownie points with Americans supporting the Fight for $15. But even if the deal had gone through, it's very doubtful whether Airbnb would have been able to get its hosts to hire unionized cleaners.
After a reported attempt to woo one of the nation's largest labor unions, Airbnb is seemingly back to square one in its quest to win over one of its foes: organized labor.
Following a meeting on April 19 between the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and Unite Here, it appears the reported SEIU agreement with Airbnb is no longer (or never was).
In a press statement obtained by Skift, a spokesperson for the SEIU said: "As we have stated before, there is no formal relationship or agreement between SEIU and Airbnb. Further, any claims that SEIU is currently in the process of advancing or on the verge of closing such a deal are inaccurate and based on speculation and hearsay."
"Earlier this week, we had a productive meeting with SEIU representatives, and it is our clear understanding that SEIU will not have a deal with Airbnb to represent housekeeping services," said Annemarie Strassel, a spokesperson for Unite Here, in a statement. "We will continue to work with SEIU t
