The Angels.- Thousands of hotel workers in Southern California walked off the job Sunday, demanding higher wages and better benefits in what the union calls the biggest strike in its history.
Cooks, room attendants, dishwashers, waiters, bellboys and hotel receptionists were picketing major hotels in Los Angeles and Orange counties just as summer tourism was picking up.
Last month, Unite Here Local 11 members voted 96% to authorize the strike. The union is seeking better wages, better health care benefits, higher pension contributions and less strenuous workloads.
The strike affects about half of the 32,000 hospitality workers the union represents in southern California and Arizona.
In addition, the union wants to create a “hospitality workforce housing fund” to help workers deal with the rising costs of living in the greater Los Angeles area. Many employees report commute hours because they cannot afford to live close to their jobs.
“Our members were devastated first by the pandemic and now by the greed of their bosses,” union co-chairman Kurt Petersen said in a statement. “The industry got bailouts while we got cuts.”
The contracts expired at midnight Friday at more than 60 hotels, including properties owned by major chains such as Marriott and Hilton. The strike affects about half of the 32,000 hospitality workers the union represents in Southern California and Arizona.
Last week, an agreement was reached with his main employer, the Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites in downtown Los Angeles, which has more than 600 union workers. Union officials described the tentative agreement, which provides for higher wages and increased staffing levels, as a huge victory for workers.
Talks with other hotels were stalled. A coalition of more than 40 hotels involved in the talks accused union leaders of canceling a scheduled bargaining session and refusing to come to the table. Hotels have offered wage increases of $2.50 an hour for the first 12 months and $6.25 for four years, the group said.
“From the outset, the Union has shown no desire to engage in good faith and productive negotiations with this group,” the hotel coalition said in a statement Sunday. “The Union has not budged from its opening demand two months ago for a pay increase of up to 40% and a more than 28% increase in benefit costs.”
The work stoppage was expected and the properties are “fully prepared to continue to operate these hotels and care for our guests for the duration of this disruption,” said Keith Grossman, a spokesman for the coalition.
