UNITE HERE Local 11 Secures 4+ Million Dollar Deal with Recall Rights, Free Health Insurance and Pension Contributions for Laid Off Workers at Loews Santa Monica Hotel
Santa Monica, CA: Hotel workers at the Loews Santa Monica Hotel reached a historic agreement with the hotel’s new operator, IHG and the hotel’s owner, Strategic Hotels, to provide recall rights, free family health insurance and pension contributions for the expected 9 month closure due to renovation of the property.
The UNITE HERE Local 11 bargaining committee secured an agreement that is worth more than $4,000,000 that includes:
- Guaranteed Right of Recall
- Fully Paid Free Family Health Insurance during layoff
- Fully Paid $3.00 an hour Pension Contributions during the layoff
- Penalty Pay if the renovations exceeds 9 months
- Generous Severance Package for workers nearing retirement. Some workers could earn more than $120,000.
“We fought hard for this extraordinary agreement. While we are nervous about how we will survive during this layoff, knowing that our families will have health insurance and we will continue to build our pension is an enormous relief. At antiunion hotels like Casa Del Mar and Shutters we know that we would be completely at their mercy. At our hotel, because of the Union, we have a voice and can demand and win what we need,” said Ligia Rivas, who spent 11 years as a room attendant at Loews.
The hotel is expected to reopen before the end of the year as the Regent Santa Monica.