PRESS INQUIRIES
For Press Inquiries:
Maria Hernandez, Communications
(623) 340-8047 (mobile)
mhernandez {at} unitehere11 {dot} org
For Arizona Press Inquiries:
Rachele Smith, Communications
(623) 670-9889 (mobile)
rsmith {at} unitehere11 {dot} org
Some of the following press releases have been shortened and edited to avoid redundancy.
High resolution photos are available upon request.
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.
BREAKING NEWS: Loews Hollywood Reaches Union Agreement; Strikes Continue in Downtown LA and Other SoCal Hotels
“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:
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. ”
District Attorney George Gascon Announces Investigation into Hotels’ Alleged Exploitation of Unhoused Refugees, says UNITE HERE Local 11
Santa Monica – Today, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced he will launch an investigation concerning hotels’ alleged exploitation of unhoused refugees during recent hotel strikes.
District Attorney George Gascón emphatically declared, “We take these egregious allegations with the utmost seriousness. The mistreatment of vulnerable workers and their exploitation will not be tolerated. We will conduct an exhaustive investigation, working closely with UNITE HERE Local 11 and other stakeholders to ensure strict compliance with labor laws and protect the rights and dignity of all workers.”
The refugees include workers who entered the country to seek asylum in Texas and were part of Texas Governor Abbott’s shameful publicity stunt of bussing workers to other states.
The hotel workers’ union UNITE HERE Local 11 asked DA Gascón to launch an investigation regarding potential violations by hotels and their subcontractors of wage and child labor laws. In one instance, a minor is alleged to have missed school in order to work at a hotel. Some of the refugees reported receiving paychecks with little to no documentation regarding hours worked.
The union and immigrant rights groups are calling on the region’s hotels and the government to ensure that the unhoused refugees have jobs where their rights are respected as well as safe and dignified housing.
UNITE HERE Local 11 Co-President Ada Briceño denounced the hotels’ actions. “The hypocrisy of the employers like Le Meridien Delfina is staggering,” Briceño said, “Thank you to District Attorney Gascón’s leadership on this issue. We will not stand by while that happens, our union is committed to continue fighting for all workers.”
State Senator Maria Elena Durazo also stated, “{California} is better than this, and we will continue to stand with these workers in Santa Monica and anywhere else they may face these awful conditions.”
This as next week thousands of tourists, film lovers, and film industry workers will pour into Santa Monica the American Film Market next week, their stays and visits to AFM events in several Santa Monica hotels may be worked by vulnerable, unhoused, and unprotected immigrants.
PRESS RELEASE; CA Labor Commissioner Issues $4.8 Million Citation to Hyatt Regency Long Beach for Failing to Rehire Laid Off Workers
Signed into law in 2021, SB-93 requires hotels, event centers, and other hospitality businesses to offer employees whom they laid off due the COVID-19 downturn in tourism an opportunity to return to work in open positions for which they are qualified in order of seniority. The law, recently extended until December 31, 2024, provides job protection to some 700,000 laid-off housekeepers, cooks, waiters, and others across the state.
Rigoberto Villagrana, who was laid off by the Hyatt Regency after working at the hotel since 1996, said, “Being laid off during the pandemic has been devastating for me and my family. We’ve struggled to pay our mortgage and keep food on the table. I am really glad to see the state stepping in to make sure Hyatt Regency complies with the law.”
The Labor Commissioner’s Office, which is led by Labor Commissioner Lilia Garcia-Brower, conducted an investigation in response to complaints from workers alleging violations of the recall law.
“Some of these employees had as much as 24 years of experience, and were suddenly out of work due to a public health emergency,” said Labor Commissioner Lilia Garcia-Brower. “The employer failed to offer them their old jobs back in compliance with the law.”
After investigating Hyatt Regency’s recall practices, the agency issued a citation to Hyatt Regency for $4,799,563.84 in liquidated damages and interest owed to dozens of workers and civil penalties for the hotel’s alleged failure to recall, or timely recall, workers laid-off due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Kurt Petersen, co-president of UNITE HERE Local 11, the hospitality workers’ union that fought for the law and helped the workers file complaints, said, “The Hyatt Regency in Long Beach has treated its veteran workers like they are disposable. This kind of behavior is not only immoral, but as the agency’s massive citation shows, it can also be illegal.” He continued, “I commend the Labor Commissioner for conducting such a thorough investigation and showing that our worker protection laws have real teeth.”
LAX Hotels Walk Out to Protest Employers’ Proposal to Eliminate Affordable Healthcare
Los Angeles, CA: Hundreds of hotel workers at multiple properties near LAX walked out on strike this morning to protest the employers’ proposal to eliminate affordable healthcare. During contentious negotiations last Wednesday, the hotel proposed a 1% annual increase to pay for healthcare – 6 times less than the projected cost of health care increases.
The hotels’ proposal would result in massive cuts to members’ healthcare, including increased co-pays and massive changes in eligibility. Under the current plan, workers pay no more than $20 a month for family insurance and eligibility for healthcare ranges between 60 and 80 hours a month.
“We fought for decades to win exceptional healthcare for our families. Now we are fighting for a wage that allows us to live in Los Angeles,” said Yesenia Reyes, a housekeeper at the Sheraton Gateway LAX. “Our selfish employers want us to choose between staying healthy and staying housed. Meanwhile, hotel CEOs are celebrating record profits and I am balancing two full time jobs to take care of my kids.”
“Never have I seen a more punitive, draconian proposal than what these greedy hotel owners put across the table. They are asking workers to choose between a meager pay raise and excellent healthcare,” said Kurt Petersen, Co-President of UNITE HERE Local 11. “Our members who sacrificed everything to keep this industry alive during the pandemic have no choice but to walk out again.”
The Westin Bonaventure and BIltmore Los Angeles have signed agreements that guarantee a living wage and protect the workers.
CALLING THE DIAMONDBACKS TO DO THE RIGHT THING
BREAKING NEWS: Biltmore Los Angeles Reaches Historic Union Agreement; Strikes Continue at Beverly Hills and Other SoCal Hotels
Los Angeles, CA: After a historic summer of strikes, UNITE HERE Local 11 and the Biltmore Los Angeles have reached a tentative agreement. The historic Biltmore Los Angeles joins the Westin Bonaventure in achieving settlements with their workers.
Once the contract is ratified, the 300 workers at the Biltmore Los Angeles will enjoy:
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, Fairmont Miramar, and Anaheim Hilton, continue to refuse to provide a living wage.
“We are very pleased to have come to an agreement with UNITE HERE Local 11 on behalf of our loyal and dedicated employees. We can now focus together on looking after our guests and providing the level of service our guests have come to expect from the Biltmore Los Angeles,” said Jimmy Wu, General Manager of the Biltmore Los Angeles.
“We applaud the Biltmore Los Angeles for putting their workers and our city first,” said Kurt Petersen, Co-President of UNITE HERE Local 11. “LA is the world’s most important tourist destination, with the World Cup and Olympics coming back to back in 2026 and 2028. This agreement takes steps to ensure that workers who work in LA will be able to live in LA.”
BREAKING NEWS: Beverly Hills Hotel Workers Join Santa Monica on Strike Strikes Grow Following Hotels’ Failure to Increase Wage Offer
Beverly Hills, CA: The wave of hotel worker strikes grew early Thursday morning in response to hotel companies’ failure to provide an economic proposal at last week’s negotiations. Hundreds of workers across multiple properties in Beverly Hills, including the Waldorf Astoria, Beverly Hilton, and Fairmont Century Plaza, walked out on strike.
“My coworkers and I have given years of service making the beds, cooking the food and washing the dishes of those who visit Beverly Hills, yet we cannot afford to provide for our families. I am on strike because we deserve our fair share,” said Lucero Ramirez, housekeeper at the Waldorf Astoria.