Airbnb's controversial deal with labor union falls apart after intense backlash

Home-sharing company had been in advanced negotiations with the SEIU over a deal that would have promoted unionized housekeepers in short-term rentals

A controversial deal between Airbnb and one of the most powerful unions in the US has fallen apart following an intense backlash from labor and housing activists across the country.

The home-sharing company had been in advanced negotiations with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which represents 2 million US workers, over a deal in which Airbnb would promote unionized housekeepers in its short-term rentals - a move that would have marked the first-ever formal collaboration between a major firm in the "gig economy" and a labor union.