Welcome to UNITE HERE Local 11

UNITE HERE Local 11 is providing assistance to hotel, restaurant, airport and food service workers to overcome challenges due to COVID-19.

Assistance with Unemployment Insurance Benefits

Tenant Rights and Rental Assistance

Hospitality Worker Hardship Fund

Organized workers earn more. Union members can enjoy health and pension benefits funded through employers’ contributions.  Workers and their dependents can also negotiate to win free legal assistance with immigration services, housing issues, divorce, adoption and other services. Our families deserve more. Organize and Win!

DO YOU WANT TO ORGANIZE YOUR WORKPLACE?

I want more information about recall rights and my right to return to work.

VIRGINIA EREDIA

Virginia Eredia, who was laid off by the Terranea after working nearly six years as a turndown attendant.  Eredia said: “After losing my job, I lost my house, my car, and had to go into a lot of debt. This money will help ease some of that and will help me buy a car to get to work. I would have never received this had I not chosen to stand up for my rights. I hope other hotel workers see this and know what is possible.”

California Labor Commissioner Delivers Checks to Terranea Resort Workers Whose Rights to Return to Work Were Violated

PRESS CONTACT: Maria Hernandez | 623-340-8047 | mhernandez@unitehere11.org

California Labor Commissioner Delivers Checks to Terranea Resort Workers Whose Rights to Return to Work Were Violated

Los Angeles, CA-  The Labor Commissioner’s Office has begun distributing more than $1.5 million to 57 workers laid off at Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes during the COVID-19 pandemic who were not offered job positions promptly as required by the Right to Recall Law.

The distribution of checks to workers began during an in-person press conference led by Labor Commissioner Lilia Garcia-Brower.  The Labor Commissioner’s Office cited Terranea alleging violations of the recall law in March and subsequently reached a settlement with the resort, resulting in the payments for workers.  More information regarding the citation is available here.

Virginia Eredia, who was laid off by the Terranea after working nearly six years as a turndown attendant.  Eredia said: “After losing my job, I lost my house, my car, and had to go into a lot of debt. This money will help ease some of that and will help me buy a car to get to work. I would have never received this had I not chosen to stand up for my rights. I hope other hotel workers see this and know what is possible.”

Terranea workers were at the forefront of the campaign to enact SB-93. The resort had terminated most of its employees without making a binding commitment to rehire them and cut off their healthcare at the beginning of the 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: “When the Terranea Resort exploited the pandemic to fire most of their workers, the hotel caused incalculable chaos and harm on those workers and their families. Rather than walking away, these brave workers decided to fight to return to their jobs.  And today we celebrate their victory and courage.  We also want to thank the Labor Commissioner and her staff for their extraordinary effort to return these workers back to work.”

The distribution of checks resolves the first case brought under California’s recently-enacted Right to Recall Law.  Signed into law last year, 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 statute provides job protections to some 700,000 housekeepers, cooks, waiters, and other laid off workers.

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UNITE HERE Local 11 is a labor union representing over 32,000 hospitality workers in Southern California and Arizona who work in hotels, restaurants, universities, convention centers, and airports

JAY-Z VS. BOYCOTT CHATEAU MARMONT

While most of Hollywood has shunned the boycotted Chateau Marmont, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Saweetie, and others ignored workers’ struggle for justice and went to Bar Marmont to party.

Despite appeals from workers, fans, and Black clergy, some of Hollywood’s elite callously crossed workers’ Oscar night picket line at the Chateau Marmont. #boycottchateaumarmont

While Most of Hollywood Shuns Boycotted Chateau Marmont, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Saweetie & Others Ignore Workers’ Struggle for Justice

Despite appeals from workers, fans, and Black clergy, some of Hollywood’s elite callously cross workers’ Oscar night picket line

PRESS RELEASE: 03/28/2022
PRESS CONTACT:
Maria Hernandez | (623) 340-8047 | mhernandez@unitehere11.org
Rachele Smith | (623) 670-9889 | rsmith@unitehere11.org

LOS ANGELES–Last night, Jay-Z’s exclusive Gold Party was held amidst a huge protest of workers, community allies, and prominent Black clergy. The exclusive Oscar night after-party garnered media backlash due to it being held at the Chateau Marmont – the subject of a highly-publicized boycott after firing over 200 workers at the start of the pandemic.

Workers, prominent Black clergy leaders, and community allies held a red carpet picket line and dance party with a live DJ outside the iconic Hollywood hotel Sunday night. An extraordinarily high number of security and police presence crowded the entrances, but despite this workers, allies, and community leaders continued the call for dignity and respect.

The Chateau Marmont has been embroiled in controversy amid worker protests, two lawsuits by Black women former workers alleging harassment and discrimination, and a growing boycott backed by prominent Hollywood figures and thought leaders including Gabrielle Union, Issa Rae, Samira Wiley, Robin Thede, Quinta Brunson, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Roxane Gay, Ashley Nicole Black, Adam McKay, David Sirota and the productions Being the Ricardos and The Offer. The boycott has also been backed by Hollywood unions like Writers Guild of America – West, as well as by civil rights organizations like the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) of Southern California.

“It is disappointing and frustrating that Jay-Z, Michael B. Jordan, Rihanna, DJ Khaled, Zoë Kravitz and other Hollywood elites chose to prioritize their party, and their fame, over real people,” said Keisha Banks, former events server at the Chateau Marmont, “It might just be one party to them but these are people’s livelihoods. They could be using their celebrity to get someone like Andre Balazs to listen to his workers. Why would they want to be associated with a hotel that discriminates and cheats its employees?  I am glad for Issa Rae, Gabrielle Union and others who honored the boycott and who have inspired us to continue speaking up until we win the dignity and respect that we deserve.”

UNITE HERE Local 11 appealed to Jay-Z to honor the boycott by choosing another venue for the famed after-party, which Jay-Z hosted jointly with Beyoncé in the past but will host alone this year, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Jay-Z and ROC Nation did not respond to the Union.

“We hoped that Jay-Z would do the right thing and move his party. He had every opportunity to do so. But he made it clear what side he was on. He was not on the side of workers, of Black women, of justice for working people. The so-called stars skulking into the party was an insult to the brave workers who have risked everything to win respect and dignity at work. This callous disregard is evidence to everyone that neither Jay-Z, Rihanna, Michael B. Jordan, Zoë Kravitz, nor the Chateau Marmont care about anyone or anything except themselves,” said Kurt Petersen, Co-President of UNITE HERE Local 11.

The boycott calls for Chateau Marmont to demonstrate a commitment to respecting its workers’ years of service by rehiring them in accordance with their legal rights and to ensuring that all workers–regardless of their race, sex, or background–feel treated with dignity and respect.

Among the celebrities who crossed the picket line and went to the Chateau Marmont despite the ongoing boycott were Jay-Z, Michael B. Jordan, Rihanna, Saweetie, Janelle Monáe, Quest Love, DJ Khaled, Zoë Kravitz, Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian and others.