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Many union leaders understand the delicate balance between advocating for workers’ rights while ensuring the success of the employers. However, a different approach is being taken by the leaders of the Unite Here union in Los Angeles. Despite claiming to represent thousands of striking hotel workers, Unite Here is fighting for a policy that would put its own members at risk, lead to unemployment, and devastate LA’s hotel industry.
The union’s demand is to force all LA hotels to accommodate homeless people alongside paying guests. Under their proposed plan, hotels would report the number of vacant rooms they have each day to the city, which would then assign homeless individuals to these rooms, even if they are located next to paying customers.
Homeless encampment on San Vicente near La Cienega, in the Beverly Grove neighborhood of Los Angeles. (Fox 11 Los Angeles)
This proposal not only provides homeless individuals with a place to stay, but also grants them access to all the amenities and public areas of the hotels, which includes swimming pools and fitness centers.
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This dangerous demand by Unite Here places the safety of hotel workers and guests at risk and poses a significant threat to LA’s tourism industry. According to Stanford University, nearly 25% of Los Angeles County’s adult homeless population in 2020 had severe mental illnesses, while 27% had long-term substance use disorders. These statistics clearly demonstrate the potential hazards associated with housing homeless individuals next to paying guests in hotels.
We can already anticipate the negative consequences based on the city’s previous experiments with housing homeless individuals in hotels. The Los Angeles Times reported incidents of vandalism, assaults, and drug-related problems that occurred as a result of accommodating homeless individuals in these establishments. The city was left with millions of dollars in damages caused by these guests.
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The issue of homelessness is complex and requires the expertise of social workers, medical professionals, and other trained individuals to address the underlying challenges, such as mental illness and substance abuse. However, Unite Here seems to believe that it possesses the necessary expertise to handle this societal issue, despite the safety risks it poses to its own members.
Unite Here has managed to push for a ballot initiative which will be voted on in March, forcing LA residents to decide whether all hotels in the city should be turned into homeless shelters. If this initiative passes, hotels will be obligated to accommodate homeless individuals without any social services or medical support from the city or elsewhere.
A recent poll commissioned by the American Hotel & Lodging Association revealed that 98% of LA residents view homelessness as a problem, but 86% disagreed with prioritizing housing homeless individuals in hotels. When the proposal was presented to the LA City Council in 2022, it was overwhelmingly rejected, with then-Councilman Joe Buscaino referring to it as “the dumbest measure I’ve seen in my 10-year tenure as a City Council member.”
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Unite Here seems to be dismissive of the concerns raised by hotel workers about working alongside homeless individuals. The union inexplicably prioritizes its stance on homelessness over the safety of its own members. It is crucial that Unite Here reconsiders its dangerous proposal and prioritizes the well-being of hotel employees and guests, not only in LA but in any other city where they may attempt such measures.
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