SHAMEBridge logo with a red frowny face

Instead of treating workers with respect, Aimbridge Hospitality has chosen a different path

  • Four workers at two Aimbridge hotels have submitted pending complaints to the California Civil Rights Department alleging their employer failed to prevent or respond properly to complaints of sexual harassment.
  • Housekeepers at one Aimbridge hotel filed a pending class-action lawsuit alleging violations of panic buttons and other worker safety provisions of the Los Angeles Hotel Worker Protection Ordinance. A purpose of this ordinance is to help protect workers from sexual assault in the workplace.
  • Workers at several Aimbridge hotels have filed pending complaints with the California Labor Commissioner alleging exploitation of unhoused migrants to replace striking workers.
  • The hotel workers’ union filed pending federal unfair labor practice charges against three Aimbridge hotels, alleging that managers unlawfully interfered with their rights to engage in union activities.
  • Aimbridge has failed to sign a fair collective bargaining agreement that meets workers’ needs at multiple hotels across Los Angeles and Orange counties.
Sheraton Park Anaheim
Hyatt Regency LAX
Holiday Inn LAX
Hilton Pasadena
DoubleTree Los Angeles
Fairfield Inn LAX
Aloft El Segundo

 

Boycott Aimbridge Hotels!

Do NOT attend any event held at a boycotted hotel

Since July 2023, thousands of hotel workers across Southern California have been walking off the job in the largest hotel strike in U.S. history. They are fighting for a wage that will enable them to live in the communities where they work.

Dozens of hotels have agreed to new fair contracts with hotel workers BUT many Aimbridge-operated hotels have not!

Workers have called for a boycott of Aimbridge hotels and ask you to choose alternate locations for all travel and events. During a labor dispute, boycott, or strike, there could be 24-hour picket lines outside hotels. If there is a strike, there may be no one taking out the trash, cooking the food, or cleaning the rooms.

Aimbridge-operated hotels under boycott

In the news

A collage of group photos showing hotel workers celebrating at the Le Meridien Delfina, the Viceroy, the Sheraton Four Points LAX, the Courtyard by Marriott Santa Monica and the Hampton Inn & Suites Santa Monica

PRESS RELEASE: FIVE MORE! Including Viceroy, Le Méridien Delfina, Hampton Inn, and Courtyard Santa Monica Sign with UNITE HERE Local 11, Raising the Total to 46 Agreements

Hotels operated by Aimbridge Hospitality and the Hotel Figueroa…
Photocollage of a headline from CoStar News and an image of two people holding a 6-foot-wide red banner that reads "Shamebridge"

COSTAR NEWS: Aimbridge’s New CEO Wants To Think Like Small Operator But Create Advantage With Size; Craig Smith Talks Talent Pipeline, Financials, Other Challenges

Masthead of Hotel Dive with a headline that reads "Workers strike at Aimbridge-operated hotels in SoCal"

HOTEL DIVE: Workers strike at Aimbridge-operated hotels in SoCal

ON STRIKE: Workers at Aimbridge-Operated Hotels Launch Week of Action Following Company’s Response to Women’s Allegations of Sexual Harassment

Los Angeles: Hundreds of workers at hotels operated by Aimbridge…
Hotel workers protest sexual harassment complaints outside the Aimbridge-operated Sheraton Park hotel in Anaheim 2024-03-13

PRESS RELEASE: Fifth woman working at an Aimbridge-operated hotel files state sexual harassment allegations

Prominent Californians urge new Aimbridge CEO in his first week…
Sheraton Park Anaheim employee Margarita Virrueta de Garibay poses in front of a purple fist painted to honor International Women's Day

PRESS RELEASE: Aimbridge Hospitality Slammed With Sexual Harassment Complaints

Workers file state complaints, gather to protest company’s…
Hotel worker stands up against sexual harassment

PRESS RELEASE: Women Leaders Rise Up in Support of SaMo Hotel Worker Filing Sexual Harassment Complaint Against Aimbridge-Operated Property

Santa Monica, Calif.: Days before the Film Independent Spirit…
Two hotel workers stand 10 feet apart to display a large red vinyl banner with the SHAMEBridge logo

PRESS RELEASE: As UNITE HERE Local 11 Launches “Shamebridge” Boycott, Aimbridge Hospitality Loses Second Operating Agreement at LA Hotel

DoubleTree San Pedro follows Le Merigot’s lead and parts ways…

Letter to Aimbridge CEO Craig Smith from Prominent Californians

This letter was originally sent to Craig Smith on 3/20/24 and updated on 4/11/24; click the heading above to see the letter. Below you can read the letter including signatories added after 4/11/24.


April 11, 2024

Craig Smith
Chief Executive Officer
Aimbridge Hospitality
5301 Headquarters Drive
Plano, TX 75024

VIA EMAIL
CC David Mussafer, Managing Partner & Chairman, Advent International
Mark Tamis, Global President, Aimbridge Hospitality
Dave Williams, Vice President, Human Resources-Labor, Aimbridge Hospitality

Re: Concerns re Alleged Sexual Harassment and Management at Aimbridge-Operated Hotels in Southern California

Dear Mr. Smith:

Congratulations on your achievement in being named Chief Executive Officer at Aimbridge Hospitality. We wish you the best of success in this challenging new role.

As you take the reins at Aimbridge, we write to raise concerns regarding a matter of urgent importance on which we hope you will play a leading role: Women workers have brought forward allegations of sexual harassment and ineffective management at multiple Aimbridge-operated properties in Southern California.

At the Aimbridge-managed Hampton Inn in Santa Monica, one worker recently alleged in a letter to the California Civil Rights Department that a male coworker repeatedly verbally threatened her at work, including by aggressively calling her a “fucking bitch.” In her letter, she alleges that the verbal threats and sexist slurs continued for over six weeks, even though she reported the behavior to the general manager on multiple occasions. She alleges that the hotel failed to respond appropriately to her complaints of harassment, and that instead, the hotel retaliated against her by terminating her. Another woman worker has also come forward alleging that she was sexually harassed by management of the same hotel.

At the Sheraton Park Hotel at the Anaheim Resort, which is also operated by Aimbridge, three women recently alleged that they were sexually harassed by the same coworker, and that the hotel took little to no action to investigate, prevent, or otherwise respond to reports of the harassment. The women have submitted complaints to the California Civil Rights Department, requesting an investigation into hotel’s response to the alleged sexual harassment.

At the San Pedro Doubletree, which was operated by Aimbridge until it was replaced earlier this year, workers have filed a pending class action lawsuit against an Aimbridge subsidiary alleging violations of the panic button and other worker safety provisions of the Los Angeles Hotel Worker Protection Ordinance. A primary purpose of this ordinance is to help protect workers from sexual assault in the workplace.

These incidents form what appears to be a pattern of managers at Aimbridge properties failing to adequately ensure full respect for women workers’ rights. As someone who is only now joining Aimbridge’s leadership, we are not suggesting that you are responsible for or would condone this conduct. But it clearly presents a critical challenge to your early leadership and an opportunity to course correct.

To address these concerns, we ask that you take at least the following steps. First, we ask that you meet with us to discuss these concerns in depth at the earliest opportunity. Second, appropriate steps must be taken on an urgent basis with respect to each of the pending cases, which should at minimum include holding managers who have failed to effectively address sexual harassment or implement necessary policies accountable and ensuring that workers who have suffered harassment are not required to interact with their abusers and receive all appropriate remedies. Third, Aimbridge should work with us and other stakeholders to appoint a respected Ombudsperson on gender-based discrimination and harassment, who can provide an independent assessment of the company’s practices, recommend systemic reforms, and ensure complete and appropriate remediation in particular cases.

We hope that you will respond positively to this communication and look forward to working with you to help Aimbridge address these serious concerns.

Sincerely,

Mayor Ashleigh Aitken, City of Anaheim
Rev. Denyse Barnes, Director of Justice and Compassion Ministries, California-Pacific Annual Conference, United Methodist Church
Bob Blumenfield, Los Angeles City Councilmember
Clarissa Cervantes, Riverside City Councilmember
Shana Charles, Fullerton City Councilmember
Pastor Thembekila Crystal Coleman-Smart, Christ Liberation Ministries; Executive Director, The Women of SCLC Southern California
Rev. Linda Culbertson, General Presbyter, Presbytery of the Pacific
Gleam Davis, Santa Monica City Council Member
María Elena Durazo, California State Senator
Kris Erickson, Trustee, Orange Unified School Board
Mayor John Erickson, City of West Hollywood
Katrina Foley, Orange County Supervisor
Mark Gonzalez, Chair, Los Angeles County Democratic Party
Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, California State Labor Federation
Ana Grande, Executive Director, Program for Torture Victims
Rev. Jennifer Gutierrez, Executive Director, Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice
Margaret Hanlon-Gradie, Principal Consultant, California Legislative Women’s Caucus
Eunisses Hernandez, Los Angeles City Councilmember
Jonathan Ryan Hernandez, Santa Ana City Councilmember
Florice Hoffman, Treasurer, Democratic Party of Orange County
Lindsey Horvath, Los Angeles County Supervisor
Dolores Huerta, Co-Founder, United Farm Workers
Heather Hutt, Los Angeles City Councilmember
Ash Kalra, California State Assemblymember
Lieutenant Governor of California Eleni Kounalakis
Jessie Lopez, Santa Ana City Councilmember
Penélope Lopez, Organizing Director, Chispa
Frances Marquez, Cypress City Councilmember
Tim McOsker, Los Angeles City Councilmember
Juan Muñoz, Lynwood City Councilmember
Liz Ortega, California State Assemblymember
Virginia Parks, Faculty Director, UC Irvine Labor Center
Anthony Portantino, California State Senator
Jeff Prang, Los Angeles County Assessor
Curren Price, Los Angeles City Councilmember
Nithya Raman, Los Angeles City Councilmember
Luz Rivas, California State Assemblymember
Rocio Rivas, Board Member, Los Angeles Unified School District
Teresa Romero, President, United Farm Workers
Miguel Santiago, California State Assemblymember
Vicente Sarmiento, Orange County Supervisor
Pilar Schiavo, California State Assemblymember
Sepi Shyne, West Hollywood City Councilmember
Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, California State Senator
Hugo Soto-Martinez, Los Angeles City Councilmember
Caroline Torosis, Santa Monica City Councilmember
Donald Torres, Stanton City Councilmember
Gracie Torres, Director, Western Municipal Water District
Kathleen Treseder, Irvine City Councilmember
Benjamin Vasquez, Santa Ana City Councilmember
Tony Vazquez, Board Member, California State Board of Equalization
Steven Veres, Trustee, Los Angeles Community College District
Jesse Zwick, Santa Ana City Councilmember
Titles for identification purposes only