UNITE HERE Local 11 represents the hospitality workers in many of the iconic hotels in LA, Orange County, and Phoenix, Arizona. We represent the housekeepers, cooks, dishwashers, servers, bartenders, and front desk agents that make your stay at these hotels so memorable. Be sure to always stay in a union hotel. And when you leave, don’t forget to tip your housekeeper!

 

WE DESERVE TO LIVE WITH DIGNITY

The companies that make millions from our work must treat us like human beings. As a union, we raise our voices to say “We deserve to live with dignity. We are not disposable.” Together, we will fight for our rights and we will win!

BREAKING NEWS: UNITE HERE Local 11 Hotel Workers Reach Tentative Agreement with Laguna Cliffs Marriot

Los Angeles, CA: UNITE HERE Local 11 and the Laguna Cliffs Marriott have reached a tentative agreement on behalf of striking workers. The tentative agreement focuses on economic issues that, upon ratification, will raise wages, strengthen pensions, and increase investments in healthcare.

Laguna Cliffs Marriott and UNITE HERE Local 11 are proud to have come to an agreement that respects workers and allows staff to focus on providing the highest standard of customer service to guests.

The agreement comes as thousands of striking UNITE HERE workers from across 50 hotels took to the streets of Los Angeles to protest and organize for new contracts.

The agreement was reached in negotiations facilitated by Assembly Speaker Emeritus John A. Pérez. “This is an example of how communities benefit when labor and management come together and work towards an agreement that is mutually beneficial.”

“We are proud to announce our latest settlement agreement that meets the needs of our members in wages and benefits,” said Kurt Petersen, Co President of UNITE HERE Local 11. “We are eager to begin a new chapter at Laguna Cliffs Marriott.”

 

PRESS RELEASE: Thousands of Striking Hotel Workers from 50 Hotels to Take to Streets of Downtown Los Angeles

Los Angeles:  On Wednesday morning, October 25th, thousands of striking hotel workers from 50 hotels gathered and marched through Downtown Los Angeles  to protest poverty wages and the hotels’ exploitation of unhoused refugees to replace striking workers.

The march comes after a fruitless negotiation meeting last week in which a group of hotel employers presented hundreds of SoCal workers with a “new” proposal to resolve the months-long labor dispute.  Enraging workers, the hotels did not meaningfully improve upon their prior position, offering no new money for wages, pension, or health insurance.  Amid soaring housing costs, workers have been demanding wages that will enable them to afford to live in the communities where they work.  Many now commute hours to and from work, with some hotel workers reporting sleeping in their cars.

The march also comes amid a growing scandal involving hotels’ use of unhoused refugees to replace workers during recent strikes.  As the Los Angeles Times reported yesterday, subcontracted workers, many of whom are unhoused refugees staying in shelters on Skid Row, were brought in to replace unionized workers during the strikes.  Some of the workers were sent to California on buses from Texas as part of Texas Governor Abbot’s publicity stunts.  The subcontracted workers have since alleged that they were exploited while workers in the hotels, with some reporting they were deprived of their legally required meal and rest breaks and were paid in hand-written checks with no explanation of their hourly wage or hours worked.  District Attorney George Gascon announced yesterday he would be conducting an investigation.

While most hotels operated by large chains have remained intransigent in response to workers’ demands for living wages, there have been some breakthroughs.  Most recently, the Loews Hollywood Hotel reached a tentative agreement with its workers, making it the third hotel to do so, following the lead of the Biltmore Los Angeles and Westin Bonaventure.

THE STRIKE IS GROWING!

We are UNITE HERE Local 11 and we are ON STRIKE! Today our strike grows with 6 new workplaces joining the fight in California and Arizona. Today all striking hotels in LA and OC joined together in the streets of DTLA for an massive action.

BREAKING NEWS: Loews Hollywood Reaches Union Agreement; Strikes Continue in Downtown LA and Other SoCal Hotels

Los Angeles, CA: After a historic summer of strikes, UNITE HERE Local 11 and Loews Hollywood have reached a tentative agreement. The Loews Hollywood joins the Westin Bonaventure and the historic Biltmore Los Angeles in signing an agreement with their workers.

“I am extremely glad we came to an agreement that helps us and the hotel move forward, Maria Camarena, housekeeper of 21 years. “My coworkers and I never gave up, and we will continue to support other hotel workers as they continue to fight for what they deserve too.”

Once the contract is ratified, the nearly 300 workers at the Loews Hollywood will enjoy:

  • Unprecedented wage increases that keep pace with the soaring cost of housing in Southern California
  • Affordable, excellent family healthcare
  • Humane workloads and safe staffing
  • Improved pension increases so that workers can retire with dignity
  • Numerous improvements, including historic Equal Justice language that, among other things, will provide access to union jobs for formerly incarcerated individuals and ban the use of E-Verify in hiring.

The Loews Hollywood, Biltmore Los Angeles, and the Westin Bonaventure have emerged as leaders in providing fair wages and benefits for its workers and superior service for guests. At the same time, dozens of other hotels, including those with far higher room rates such as the JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton LA Live, Beverly Hilton, and Fairmont Miramar, continue to refuse to provide a living wage.

 “Our team members are at the core of what makes Loews the company it is,” said Vincent Piro, Managing Director, Loews Hollywood Hotel. “We are thrilled to be in agreement with our partners at UNITE HERE Local 11 and look forward to continuing to deliver exceptional experiences for our guests, fellow team members and neighbors.”

“We are pleased to announce our settlement with the Loews Hollywood,” said Kurt Petersen, Co-President of UNITE HERE Local 11. “Three of the biggest LA hotels  – including the largest in downtown and Hollywood – have decided to put their workers and our city first.  It is time for the rest of the industry to share their prosperity with their workers. ”

CITY ON THE EDGE