Thousands of local hotel workers move closer to a strike: ‘Living in L.A. is no longer an option’
LA TimesWorkers from Unite Here and other unions rally in downtown Los Angeles on May 26. As Los Angeles gears up for a busy summer travel season — plus future tourist events including the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics — and hotel company profits rise, it’s crucial to ensure workers are fairly compensated and can afford housing, said Kurt Petersen, co-president of Unite Here Local 11. Faced with the union’s proposals at the first bargaining session on April 20 — including an immediate across-the-board $5 hourly raise — hotels have largely “gone silent,” Petersen said. “Hyatt has just commenced negotiations along with other Los Angeles and Orange County hotels and is committed to bargaining in good faith,” D’Angelo said in a statement. Winston said the lockdowns also had the effect of boosting hospitality workers’ wages, “more than any union ever could,” because scarce workers could command higher pay.