THE STATE OF THE 2023 CONTRACT FIGHT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: LA City Council Moves Forward on Historic Ordinance to Prioritize Housing Over Luxury Hotel Development

Los Angeles – LA City Council moved forward this morning on a revised version of the Responsible Hotel Initiative. Previously proposed by President Paul Krekorian on November 1, this ordinance will codify the core goals of the original initiative put forward by Unite Here: protecting the housing stock in Los Angeles.

The ordinance would:

  • Ensure that developers fully replace any housing lost to hotel development.
  • Codify components of Inside Safe, a program to provide temporary housing to unhoused individuals and families.
  • Give residents a say in hotel development in their communities, ensuring that the city considers a proposed development’s impact on issues like jobs and housing.
  • Address problems like short-term rental “party houses” and trafficking at hotels through permitting requirements and enforcement.

“We have said all along that our contract campaign has been about two things: housing for our members where they work and a living wage,” said Co-President Kurt Petersen of UNITE HERE Local 11. “With this ordinance, we have done more to protect housing than any single contract demand would have done. The fight for a living wage continues.”

Los Angeles is experiencing a dramatic increase in hotel development, ranking second in the nation in the number of new hotel rooms in its pipeline, with more than 100 hotels under construction or in planning stages. Among other pro-housing provisions, the law would require developers of new hotels that displace housing to replace that housing on a one-for-one basis.

“The only way I could afford a home was to move two hours away from Los Angeles,” said Miguel Aragon, who works as a room attendant at Hotel Indigo. “This ordinance would enable workers like myself to spend time with our families, instead of spending hours of our day spent driving to and from work. I’m proud of the City Council for moving forward with this proposal.”

UNITE HERE Local 11 has until December 1 to withdraw the original language of the ordinance. The new ordinance would come before Council for a vote in early December.

LAist: LA City Council Moves Forward On Hotel Housing Ordinance

YOU ARE THE MUSCLE IN THE ROOM


We don’t care that the hotel companies have billions of dollars. The whole country knows that Local 11 is on strike.

YOU ARE THE MUSCLE IN THE ROOM

The march on October 25 was historic and monumental. Did you feel our power? “You are the muscle in the room.” Susan Minato, Co-President, UNITE HERE Local 11.

SENATOR DURAZO STANDS WITH STRIKERS

We deserve more. The bosses might try to turn us against each other, but we won’t allow it. Our unity and our Union make us strong!

LA City Council President Krekorian Directs City Staff to Draft Historic Ordinance to Prioritize Housing Over Luxury Hotel Development

Would replace Responsible Hotel Ordinance set to be on March 2024 ballot

Los Angeles – Council President Paul Krekorian this morning proposed a revised version of the Responsible Hotel Initiative that would codify the core goals of the original initiative: protecting the housing stock in Los Angeles.

“The shortage of affordable housing in Los Angeles doesn’t just drive the crisis of homelessness in our streets,” said Council President Krekorian. “It hurts everyone who’s looking for a home in Los Angeles. The hospitality industry is a vital and necessary component of our local economy, and we need hotels to welcome the thousands of visitors we receive, but new hotel construction cannot come at the cost of our current housing stock. Irresponsible hotel and short-term rental operators cannot be allowed to endanger the public safety or impair the quality of life in our neighborhoods.”

“I’m happy to see both the hotel industry and their employees’ union putting the interests of the entire city first in supporting this ordinance,” said Council President Krekorian. “I hope to see this spirit of cooperation continue in the current negotiations among all the players in this essential industry.”

The ordinance would:

  • Ensure that developers cannot destroy housing to build hotels, requiring that any housing lost be fully replaced.
  • Codify components of Inside Safe, a program to provide temporary housing to unhoused individuals and families.
  • Give residents a say in hotel development in their communities, ensuring the city considers a proposed development’s impact on issues like jobs and housing.
  • Address problems like short-term rental “party houses” and trafficking at hotels through permitting requirements and enforcement.

“We have said all along that our contract campaign has been about two things: housing for our members where they work and a living wage,” said Co-President Kurt Petersen of UNITE HERE Local 11. “With this ordinance, we have done more to protect housing than any single contract demand would have done. The fight for a living wage continues.”

Los Angeles is experiencing a dramatic increase in hotel development, ranking second in the nation in the number of new hotel rooms in its pipeline, with more than 100 hotels under construction or in planning stages. The ordinance will ensure developers cannot destroy housing to build hotels. Over the last several years, UNITE HERE Local 11 has worked with local housing groups and identified multiple hotel projects that would result in the loss of housing, such as one downtown development that would turn 57 apartments into 172 hotel rooms and another project that converted 97 apartments into hotel rooms. Among other pro-housing provisions, the new law would require new hotels that displace housing to replace that housing on a one-for-one basis.

“I would like to commend Council President Paul Krekorian for his leadership on this issue,” said Petersen.

“Even though there are five of us in my household, and almost all of us work, I can’t afford to live closer than Apple Valley,” said Brenda Mendoza, a 15-year uniform attendant at the JW Marriott at LA Live. “I can barely sleep more than two to three hours a night. That’s why I’m excited to see the City step in and help us get this responsible hotel ordinance passed into law.”

After today’s council meeting, the city staff will work to finalize revised language that the city council would vote on November 8. UNITE HERE Local 11 has until December 1 to withdraw the original language of the ordinance. The new ordinance would come before Council for a vote in early December.

BREAKING NEWS: Santa Monica Hotel Workers Strike Le Meridien Delfina During American Film Market Amid DA Investigation of Hotels’ Use of Unhoused Refugees

Santa Monica: Hundreds of hotel workers from multiple properties across Santa Monica, including at Le Meridien Delfina, walked out on strike demanding that hotels pay them living wages that allow them to afford housing.  Workers also call upon the hotels to  hire unhoused refugees who were  exploited during prior strikes.

The strike comes as Le Meridien Delfina hosts the American Film Market, which runs from Oct. 31 through Nov. 5. On Saturday morning, workers plan to march across Santa Monica.

The strike and march comes amid a growing scandal involving hotels’ use of unhoused refugees to replace workers during recent strikes.  As the Los Angeles Times reported, subcontracted workers, many of whom are unhoused refugees staying in shelters on Skid Row, were brought in to replace unionized workers during earlier 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 last week that his office 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 and the Laguna Cliffs Marriott reached tentative agreements with their respective workers, making them the third and fourth hotels to do so, following the lead of the Biltmore Los Angeles and Westin Bonaventure.