Los Angeles Hotel Employees Return to Work but Warn of Additional Strikes
On Wednesday, hotels in the Los Angeles area welcomed back numerous employees such as housekeepers, front desk clerks, cooks, and other members of the hospitality staff. These workers had participated in picketing for three consecutive days. However, union leaders have hinted at the possibility of further strikes occurring in the near future.
Importance: Hotel Strike Joins Labor Action Wave
The ongoing strike of hotel staff marks the most recent occurrence of workers taking collective action in California, referred to by labor organizers as a "labor-intensive summer."
Throughout this year, various individuals from different walks of life, including employees of hotels, schools, Hollywood writers, and dockworkers, have engaged in peaceful protests to express their difficulties in meeting their rent obligations. According to them, the prices of essential commodities such as gasoline and groceries have experienced an unprecedented surge, while their wages have failed to keep up with these soaring costs.
Business organizations argue that it is unjust to expect employers to bear the weight of California's housing predicament, which is particularly severe in cities like Los Angeles.
Hotel Staff Seeks Pay Hikes For 3 Years
With the arrival of tourists, wedding attendees, and aficionados of Animé into the area over a prolonged weekend before the Fourth of July celebration, a considerable number of employees from 19 hotels embarked on an organized strike on Sunday.
Employees from Unite Here Local 11, the labor union that represents around 15,000 hotel workers in Southern California, voted in favor of going on strike last month when their contract was about to end. Kurt Petersen, co-president of the union, announced on Thursday that though the initial strikers had resumed their positions, several thousand more union members were getting ready to join the picket lines at approximately 60 hotels where the strike had been approved by workers.
"We're dubbing it as surges," he stated. "They are genuinely furious: They desire to attain a salary that's equitable, and they crave acknowledgement."
The members of Local 11 are demanding a boost in their paychecks from $20 to $25 per hour for housekeeping services. They are pushing for an immediate raise of $5, with an additional increase of $3 every year for the next three years as part of their contract. The reason behind this demand is the high cost of living in Los Angeles, where housing is limited and pricey. Additionally, the union has suggested that hotels implement a 7 percent charge on guests, with the objective of supporting housing facilities for the workers.
The hotel authorities have alleged that the leaders of the union have prioritized making a political declaration instead of focusing on reaching a compromise.
Keith Grossman, a representative for over 40 hotels situated in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, engaged in negotiations with the union, has stated that the employers proposed a pay hike to surpass $31 per hour by January 2027. Previously, the wage stood at $25 per hour in both Beverly Hills and downtown Los Angeles.
Furthermore, the collective also lodged a grievance with the National Labor Relations Board, contending that certain requests made by the union, such as the 7 percent charge, breach the law and fall beyond the purview of contract talks.
Mr. Grossman stated that it is both illegal and a significant hindrance to contract negotiation to demand that these conditions be included in any settlement agreement.
Mr. Petersen, one of the leaders of the union, dismissed the accusation as "baseless." According to him, hotels already impose charges for various services and products, so it would be more appropriate for them to focus on enabling their staff to afford accommodation.
Upcoming: Additional Walkouts Scheduled
The heads of the union declared that the employees at every hotel will make the call on whether they want to stop working. In the meanwhile, they stated that they aim to persist in demonstrating outside the hotels and trust that tourists or party organizers will contemplate avoiding the establishments involved in the ongoing disagreement regarding labor.
Hotel industry experts stated that the demonstrations have the potential to negatively impact Southern California's image as a tourist hotspot, which would have adverse consequences for hotel proprietors, managers, and their staff members in the future.
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Workers in Los Angeles hotels are planning to go on strike in a coordinated manner to demand better wages to sustain themselves. If you want to read the article again, click on the link. To receive daily newspapers, subscribe now.
