On July 10th, a significant labor strike took place in Southern California involving cooks, room attendants, dishwashers, servers, bellmen, and other hotel workers from eight different hotels. This strike marks the second wave of the largest multi-hotel strike in the region’s history. The employees, who are represented by Unite Here Local 11, have several demands. They are calling for an immediate $5 hourly wage increase for all hotel workers, regardless of their current pay level. Additionally, they want the hotels to continue providing family healthcare coverage and seek improvements to their pension plan. The workers also hope for “safe and humane” workloads.
One key aspect to their demands is the establishment of a fund that would contribute to the construction of affordable housing for struggling hotel workers. The union proposes funding this initiative through a 7% tax on hotel guests, which would replace the current fees they pay for amenities such as wireless service. Lilia Sotelo, a housekeeper at the Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel, strongly supports these demands as she is personally affected by the rising costs of rent.
The Coordinated Bargaining Group, representing 44 hotels in Los Angeles and Orange County, claims to have offered two additional dates to resume labor negotiations. However, the union failed to respond and opted to proceed with the strike instead. The group criticizes Unite Here Local 11 for not providing substantial counterproposals to their contract proposal from June 27, which included wage hikes and improved healthcare benefits.
In the midst of the strike, hotel rooms are no longer being cleaned on a daily basis, causing heavier workloads for the remaining staff. Unite Here co-President Kurt Petersen reveals that the duration of the strike is yet to be decided, aimed at keeping the companies guessing. He points out that replacement workers are currently sitting in hotels, leading to dual workforce expenses.
The strike primarily targets hotels such as the Westin Los Angeles Airport, Hotel June in Westchester, and Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles. The Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites in downtown LA is the only location that has reached a labor agreement with Unite Here.
Notably, this strike follows a previous one during the July 4th weekend, where hundreds of hospitality workers picketed 21 hotels in Santa Monica and LA. The Coordinated Bargaining Group has filed unfair labor practice charges against the union, claiming that they are attempting to force the hotels into agreements unrelated to employee matters, potentially harming the Los Angeles tourism industry. They argue that the union’s demand for hotels to house the homeless and the proposed 7% tax on hotel guests are beyond the hotels’ scope of responsibility.
Housing costs remain a central concern among the workers, as a recent union survey reveals that 53% of employees have either moved in the past five years or will soon be forced to relocate due to the soaring housing costs. The workers believe that every worker in Los Angeles, regardless of their occupation, deserves a wage that allows them to live with dignity in the city.
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