The nation’s largest hotel strike expanded on July 24 as employees from The Beverly Hilton and other hotels in the area protested for higher wages, manageable workloads, and the preservation of healthcare benefits. Represented by Unite Here Local 11, several thousand workers from 43 Southern California hotels have participated in the strike since their labor contract expired on June 30.
The union claims that the latest offer from Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott does not include any additional compensation for wages, pensions, or healthcare. However, the Coordinated Bargaining Group, representing hotels in Los Angeles and Orange County, offered a wage proposal that would provide workers with a $2 per hour increase after ratification of the labor contract, followed by a $1 per hour increase on July 1, 2024.
Despite the hotel’s offer, the labor negotiations on July 18 were unproductive, with Kurt Peterson, co-president of Unite Here, walking away from the table. The union is demanding an immediate $5 per hour wage increase for all hotel workers, along with continued family healthcare coverage, improvements to the pension plan, and reasonable workloads.
As part of the strike, workers picketed at several hotels, including the Beverly Hilton, Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills, and the Fairmont Century Plaza. Many employees, like Filadelfia Alcala, a housekeeper at the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, find their current wages insufficient, living paycheck to paycheck and struggling to afford living expenses and healthcare costs.
Among the hotels represented by Unite Here, only the Westin Bonaventure has reached a tentative agreement on a “living wage” that allows workers to afford to live in Los Angeles.
The labor unrest has led to the cancellation or relocation of events by various organizations, including the Democratic Governors Association, Japanese American Citizens League, W.K Kellogg Foundation, and the TV show “Vanderpump Rules.” Additionally, the strike is causing difficulties for convention managers and bookers who cannot guarantee an uninterrupted experience for visitors.
Recently, the Coordinated Bargaining Group filed unfair labor practice charges against Unite Here, accusing the union of attempting to force elements unrelated to employees into the contract, potentially harming the Los Angeles tourism industry. The group claims that Unite Here is pushing for the hotels to support a controversial LA County ballot measure that mandates housing the homeless in hotels and imposing a 7% tax on guests of unionized hotels.
Unite Here argues that the tax revenue would contribute to the construction of affordable housing for struggling hotel workers facing rising rents and mortgages. Jovani Ramirez, a cook at the Beverly Hilton and Fairmont Century Plaza, expressed the need for free family healthcare due to his youngest son’s autism. Ramirez believes it is morally wrong to work 16 hours a day in a prosperous industry like hotels and still be unable to afford living in Los Angeles.
With the ongoing strike, it remains to be seen how the negotiations will progress and if a resolution can be reached to address the concerns of the hotel workers.
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