“A minimum wage boost for tourism workers in the city of Los Angeles is going into effect after the City Clerk announced Monday that a referendum to overturn it failed to gather enough valid signatures.”
“The business group looking to repeal a $30 per hour minimum wage for Los Angeles hotel and airport workers failed to secure enough signatures to qualify the proposal for the ballot…”
Los Angeles, CA: On Tuesday, over a hundred hotel room attendants, cooks, dishwashers, server, airline catering workers and airport workers plan to rally outside Los Angeles City Hall and celebrate the Olympic wage going into effect after the Los Angeles City Clerk announced the deceitful multi-million dollar referendum campaign funded by Delta, United and American Hotel and Lodging Association failed to qualify. Delta is a founding sponsor of the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics.
The Defend The Wage LA Coalition, comprised of UNITE HERE Local 11, SEIU-United Service Workers West (USWW), and Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy (LAANE), released the following statement:
“Tourism workers demand airlines and hotels Pay Up Now! In a historic victory over some of the world’s largest corporations who spent over $3 million in a campaign that deceived Angelenos, workers mobilized and defeated the CEOs’ campaign to lower wages. The Olympic Wage must be implemented immediately. After years of speaking up at City Council meetings, protesting at City Hall and LAX, and even fasting for three days before a Council vote, workers have yet again triumphed over corporate interests. Elected officials must do right by the workers who will make mega-events like the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics happen and stand strong against corporations who seek to undermine workers and Angelenos who have again supported raising wages.”
The announcement comes after a full signature count by the Los Angeles County Registrar found that the referendum campaign did not meet the qualifications to be placed on the ballot.
During the signature-gathering process, the campaign funded by airlines and hotels were accused of misleading voters by claiming the referendum petition would increase wages, when it would actually overturn a recently-enacted minimum wage increase. Authorities were presented with extensive documentation of these and other deceptive practices. In some cases, signature gatherers were themselves deceived by the initiative organizers into believing the petition was to raise the minimum wage.
Additionally, volunteers accused signature gatherers of violence against canvassers seeking to educate the public about the actual impact of the referendum and to keep the Olympic Wage intact. The referendum signature gatherers even set up shop in Skid Row, allegedly paying cash to unhoused people to register to vote and sign the referendum petition. A record of more than 120,000 Angelenos submitted forms to revoke their signatures on the referendum petition when they learned the petition would actually upend the Olympic Wage.
On Friday September 5th in Long Beach the Olympic wage for convention and airport workers went into effect, bringing their wages up to $25 immediately and to $29.50 by the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2028.
Winning the Olympic wage was the first step towards building a more equitable Games that benefits working people. UNITE HERE Local 11, which leads the Fair Games coalition with LAANE and another 60 plus organizations, last month launched a vision calling on LA 28, IOC, corporate CEOs, and elected leaders for a New Deal for Our Future. The new deal would include union jobs and living wages, funding for 50,000 units of housing for working families, a ban on airbnb style short-term rentals to protect our homes, and safe and dignified treatment of immigrant communities.
Long Beach, CA: Over a hundred hospitality workers, Long Beach community leaders, and their allies testified and attended the Long Beach City Council meeting on Tuesday in favor of putting an initiative on the 2024 ballot that would put the city on a pathway to raise the wage for hospitality workers to $25 per hour.
The council voted unanimously to direct city staff to draft the policy that would go on the March 2024 ballot.
Yadira Aguilar, a housekeeper at the Hyatt Centric said “As a single mother, a better wage would mean I could better provide for my family. I pay $1,900 in rent and also take care of my sick mother in Mexico. It is hospitality workers like myself who make Long Beach run. Thank you to the council for hearing our voices.”
Ada Briceño, co-president of UNITE HERE Local 11 said, “During the pandemic, our members lost their livelihoods overnight and since then the tourism industry has bounced back with the help of billions in PPP loans. Hotels are now near maximum capacity, and making record profits. Thank you to the Long Beach City Council for voting to put hospitality workers and their families first.”
Grecia Lopez-Reyez, Director for Long Beach for a Just Economy said. “A ballot measure is an opportunity for voters to decide to raise the wage again for hospitality workers who are the backbone of a profitable industry. When workers thrive, we all thrive.”
“Long Beach’s tourism and hospitality industry plays a pivotal role in our local economy, and workers are the backbone of the industry. While the Long Beach City Council voted to forward a ballot measure to amend the Long Beach Hotel Worker Wage Ordinance by increasing the minimum wage, voters will ultimately decide in the March 2024 municipal election. I hope voters will vote to support it.” said Long Beach Councilmember Saro.
The push to raise the wage for Long Beach hospitality workers comes as the tourism industry has seen record revenue while workers struggle to stay housed and provide for their families.
Similar initiatives are being considered in other cities in the region, including Los Angeles, Anaheim, and Santa Monica. The council is expected to come back for a final vote on October 24, 2023.
The West Hollywood City Council voted unanimously to establish the highest minimum wage in the country. And members of UNITE HERE Local 11 were key players in winning this fight. Sí se pudo!
