More than 1,000 striking hotel workers march through San Francisco

San Francisco police officers follow the crowd as hotel and hospitality workers on strike from seven different Marriott-affiliated hotels march through the streets of San Francisco, Calif. Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. less San Francisco police officers follow the crowd as hotel and hospitality workers on strike from seven different Marriott-affiliated hotels march through the streets of San Francisco, Calif. Saturday, Oct. 20, ... more Photo: Jessica Christian / The Chronicle Buy photo Photo: Jessica Christian / The Chronicle Image 1 of / 30 Caption Close More than 1,000 striking hotel workers march through San Francisco 1 / 30 Back to Gallery

More than 1,000 hotel union workers and supporters marched through San Francisco on Saturday morning, stopping to chant at four of seven hotels in the city where workers have been on strike for roughly two weeks to demand higher wages and more job security.

Workers from the W, St. Regis, the Palace and Marriott Marquis hotels squeezed into the plaza on Yerba Buena Lane between Third and Fourth streets on Market Street for a rally before taking to the streets.

The march was part of solidarity demonstrations that were scheduled in Oakland, San Jose and other cities nationwide Saturday, according to officials with the Bay Area hotel workers union, Unite Here Local 2.

“When you pick a fight with the hotel workers in this city, you pick a fight with the whole city,” said Anand Singh, the union’s president. “We are going to win this fight the way we win every fight — with the solidarity and the resolve of working people.”

More than 20 San Francisco police officers escorted the marchers through the streets, helping navigate traffic as strikers weaved through the city. Drummers and musicians with trombones, tubas and saxophones played tunes for strikers chanting “All day, all night” and “We got the power, union power.”

Rafael Linares, 59, has been on the picket line outside the St. Regis. On Saturday, he was there again, just steps away from where he’s worked as a food server for the past 14 years.

“We just want basic things — to be able to pay our rent and pay for our food, not to get rich,” Linares said. “We provide services that make these hotels five-star hotels, so we’re fighting for better conditions and pay.”

San Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman joined the demonstration, calling it one of the Bay Area’s most important workers movements.

“The people who make the beds in the hotels, the cooks — these are people who we absolutely should be standing with in this global economic environment,” Mandelman said.

The demonstration contrasted with the Oct. 12 gathering outside the Marriott Marquis, where 41 adults were arrested for blocking streets and refusing to cooperate with police orders to stay on the sidewalk.

Lauren Hernández is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LaurenPorFavor