Hundreds of hospitality workers who participated in picket lines during the holiday weekend have returned to work, but the possibility of future work stoppages remains a concern, according to union officials. The strike, organized by the Unite Here Local 11 union, began at 6:01 a.m. on Sunday and targeted 19 hotels across Southern California. Picketing continued through the Fourth of July holiday in cities such as Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and Orange County. Despite employees going back to work, the union has made it clear that the strike is not yet over. Maria Hernandez, a representative from Unite Here, explained that although the initial round of picketing focused on 19 hotels, workers at 41 additional hotels are prepared to walk off the job at any given moment.
In a statement, union officials emphasized that the holiday walkout was just the beginning of a series of strikes and disruptions by hotel workers in the region. They asserted that workers will continue to fight until they receive a wage that enables them to live in the communities where they work. The contract between the hotels and the union expired at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday. The union has reached an agreement with the Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites in downtown Los Angeles, but contract negotiations with other hotels are still ongoing.
Hotel management has assured that the hotels will remain open, with nonunion staff and management taking over the responsibilities of striking workers. However, there have been no reports of renewed contract talks between the union and the Coordinated Bargaining Group representing the hotels. Hernandez revealed that the hotels are aware of the workers’ demands, as evidenced by the agreement reached with the Westin Bonaventure.
Representatives for the hotels accused the workers of being inflexible in their demands and stated that the union has shown no willingness to engage in productive negotiations. The reps claimed that the union has not budged from its initial request for up to a 40% wage increase and over 28% increase in benefit costs. Unite Here Local 11 represents approximately 15,000 workers employed at around 60 major hotels in Los Angeles and Orange counties. A survey conducted by the union revealed that 53% of its members have either moved or plan to move in the near future due to the high housing costs in the Los Angeles area.
The union is fighting for an immediate $5 hourly raise, along with an additional $3 an hour in the following years of the contract. They are also seeking improvements in healthcare, retirement benefits, and the establishment of a hospitality workforce housing fund. Many union members have resorted to long commutes from areas like Apple Valley, Palmdale, California City, and Victorville. Unite Here Local 11 President Kurt Petersen stated that the recent strike was just the beginning, emphasizing that the workers’ suffering has gone on for far too long.
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