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UNITE HERE Local 11

BREAKING NEWS: Politically Powerful UNITE HERE Local 11 Passes Highest Wage in the Nation

Los Angeles: UNITE HERE Local 11 which represents over 32,000 cooks, room attendants, dishwashers, airport workers across Southern California and Arizona led the way for the Los Angeles City Council to raise the wage for tourism workers ahead of the 2028 Olympic & Paralympic Games.

“This wage increase is going to change the life of my daughter and I. As a single mother, I will no longer be forced to choose between paying the bills or buying her healthy food and saving for college. This Olympic and Paralympic wage will be good for working families like mine, the city and our overall economy,” said Sonia Ceron, dishwasher at Flying Food Group and airline catering company that prepares and packages meals for international flights for airlines like Japan Air, Singapore, Qantas and more.

The new law, dubbed the Olympic and Paralympic Wage, is the highest minimum wage in the United States. It will raise the wage of workers in airports and hotels in the city of Los Angeles to $30 by the 2028 Olympic and Paralympics. Mayor Bass is expected to sign the law in the coming weeks, and go into effect July 1st.

“Tourism workers have once again made history by winning the highest minimum wage in the nation! The Olympic and Paralympic Wage is the first step to ensure these mega events benefit hard working families and not just bosses and billionaires,” said Kurt Petersen co-president of UNITE HERE Local 11.

This is not the first time UNITE HERE Local 11 has led the way in passing historically strong living wage  laws for tourism workers. In 2016 they increased wages for hotel workers in Santa Monica, 2021 in West Hollywood, in 2022 in the City of Glendale and in 2024 voters in Long Beach passed a similar wage increase.

While 10,000 hotel workers won historic wage increases in the largest hotel strike in U.S. history led by UNITE HERE Local 11 in 2023 and 2024, thousands more in airports and hotels will benefit from the City of Los Angeles passing an Olympic Wage by modernizing the Living Wage Ordinance to raise hourly wages to $30/hour by 2028 and improve access to quality healthcare.  UNITE HERE Local 11’s hotel, airport and stadium contracts are set to expire in 2028, months before the Olympics and Paralympics.

Workers were joined throughout their over two year fight by LAANE, CLUE and many other community organizations as they repeatedly made their way to Council to demand a wage that would support working families across the Los Angeles region.

DAVID BORG FROM THE TEMPE MISSION PALMS

“Because thats what we have to do, that’s at the heart of this movement, fighting for our community.” David Borg is a Shop Steward at the Tempe Mission palms in Tempe, AZ.

Fair Games: a New Deal for Our Future

Logo for Fair Games coalition

We demand from LA28 and the billionaire companies that will profit off the games:

  1. Union jobs that support families and healthy communities with living wages
  2. Funding for 50,000 units of housing for working families
  3. A moratorium on short-term rentals to protect our homes
  4. Safe and dignified treatment of immigrant communities

If the IOC, LA28, city leaders, and corporate CEOs fail to meet workers’ needs, workers will be prepared to strike!



LUIS DOMINGUEZ

Meet Luis Dominguez, housekeeper at the Doubletree DTLA and proud UNITHERE Local 11 member. In 2023, he and his coworkers went on strike and won a historic new contract, and he’s ready to do it again in 2028 if that’s what it takes!

ALAINK KEMPLE

Alaink works at the Waldorf Astoria. Going on strike for the first time was scary—but absolutely worth it. The raises, protections, and life-changing benefits he and his coworkers won? Unforgettable.

BREAKING NEWS: VICTORY: Workers at Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center Ratify Life-Changing 3-Year Agreement

Contract includes $12 an hour raise and protections on subcontracting

Long Beach, CA:  UNITE HERE Local 11 members at the  city-owned Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center have overwhelmingly ratified a historic agreement with the LBCEC operator, ASM Global.

“The improvements we won in our contract will help me pay my rent and feed my family. I will be able to take my kids out and enjoy time with my family without worrying about money,” said Jeanelle Cooper, concessions worker of 9 years at the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center.

Included in the new agreement are:

  • Enormous wage increases totaling $12 an hour over the three-year agreement. Some workers will see a 65% raise!
  • Free family health insurance.
  • A 400% increase in pension contributions.
  • Strong protections to prevent the exploitation of subcontracted workers, a key sticking point in the negotiations.
  • Extension of contract to soon to be developed amphitheater, Long Beach Bowl.
  • Olympic Expiration Date:  January 15, 2028.  The workers will join 20,000 members whose contracts expire on the eve of the 2028 Olympics.  The LBCEC is scheduled to host events handball, and swimming.

In addition to the life changing wages and benefits, ASM Global also agreed to offer employment to all workers at the temporary staffing agency, 1Fifty1, which was the subject of allegations of potential wage theft which are being investigated by the California Labor Commissioner. ASM Global canceled its contract with 1Fifty1 temporary agency after workers came forward with these allegations. ASM Global has now offered employment to more than 25 former 1Fifty1 workers.  These workers will see their wages increase by 80% during the term of the contract.

“This wasn’t an easy contract to win,” says Andrea Romero, cook of 12 years at the Long Beach Convention & Event Center. “My coworkers and I didn’t have a choice, though. We won fair pay for the hard work that we do and the way we help the tourism industry prosper in Long Beach.”

“Solidarity was the key to this victory. Our members again showed extraordinary courage and unity—they refused to settle until the workers exploited by the temporary agency 1Fifty1 won justice. Now, those workers have the right to permanent jobs and will be covered by this extraordinary contract,” said Kurt Petersen, co-president of UNITE HERE Local 11.

MERCEDES FLORES

For 16 years, Mercedes has worked as a housekeeper at the Sheraton Grand LA. in 2020, she lost her home in a fire, then when the pandemic shut everything down-she lost her job. Thats why she went on strike with her coworkers, fighting for a better contract. Thanks to the salary increases they secured, Mercedes can now provide more for her daughters and continue rebuilding.