Dive Brief:
- The thousands of union hotel employees who walked off their jobs last week to push for better wages and working conditions are now back at work, according to a release from Southern California hospitality union Unite Here Local 11.
- Twelve hotels in Los Angeles and Orange County experienced work stoppages beginning last Monday as part of a second wave of walkouts amid the largest multihotel strike in California history. Though this wave of strikes has ended, according to Unite Here’s statement, “more strikes and other actions by hotel workers could take place at any time.”
- Members of Unite Here and the Coordinated Bargaining Group, which represents 44 Los Angeles and Orange County hotels, will meet again at the bargaining table this week — though recent public-facing statements from both sides imply the groups are still very much at odds.
Dive Insight:
Though the employees who walked out are back at work, union members will continue picketing and leafleting nearby hotels. In total, union workers at 33 hotels in the region have participated in strikes, over both waves of walkouts.
As the second wave was underway, the Coordinated Bargaining Group released a statement condemning the union for striking instead of meeting them at the bargaining table. Last week, the group noted it had offered the union two meeting dates – July 14 and July 18 – for resuming negotiations, but the union had yet to reply.
“Unite Here Local 11’s intransigence and unwillingness to meet is hurting our employees and continues to damage Los Angeles’ reputation with tourists,” said Keith Grossman, spokesperson for the Coordinated Bargaining Group, in the statement. “It’s been clear from Day One that Local 11 only wanted to strike and was not focused on the interests of our employees or the City.”
Now, it appears the union has responded, with negotiations scheduled to resume Tuesday, July 18.
“Through the strike, workers from all the hotels are more united than ever,” said Rosa Paz, a housekeeper who went on strike at the Hilton Anaheim. “We are ready for anything, inside, outside, at the negotiating table, and won’t settle for less than we deserve.”
Properties affected by the second wave of walkouts included Hilton Anaheim, Holiday Inn Los Angeles LAX Airport, Hyatt Regency LAX, Aloft El Segundo Los Angeles Airport, Four Points by Sheraton Los Angeles International Airport, Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel, Westin Los Angeles Airport, Hotel June Los Angeles and Hilton Garden Inn El Segundo.
Unite Here’s latest statement noted the growing entertainment industry strikes, which are also impacting Los Angeles, and the hotel strikes have garnered support from other regional strikers. Last week, striking workers from Writers Guild of America West picketed outside the Fairmont Miramar alongside hotel employees.
“Our city has reached a tipping point,” said Kurt Petersen, co-president of Unite Here Local 11. “The wealthy continue to live in luxury while workers, from actors and writers to room attendants and servers, live from one paycheck to the next. This fight is ultimately about whether those who make LA prosperous and beautiful will be able to afford to live in LA.”
