Seattle voters approved Initiative 124 on Tuesday, which mandates increases in workplace safety for hotel staff, including the addition of panic buttons for all workers and improved health insurance.
Results showed I-124 passed with a 77 percent approval, with 225,967 total votes counted Wednesday afternoon.
The measure was primarily led by local worker unions and opposed by a host of hotel associations.
In a survey of 99 Seattle hotel housekeepers, roughly half reported incidents of sexual harassment by guests, according to a report released by Puget Sound Sage and the campaign behind I-124.
According to the report, 262 incidents were reported by 52 workers interviewed in the survey, most involving exposed nudity by guests. The survey also found about half experience regular pain during their work day, yet have a harder time getting adequate medical care.
The No on I-124 campaign said large and small hotels already implement best practices and technology regarding safety. Many already use panic buttons, or similar alert systems, the campaign said.
