Chateau Marmont Agrees to Landmark Union Contract

Chateau Marmont and UNITE HERE Local 11 Reach Historic Union Contract

Los Angeles, CA: In a historic breakthrough, UNITE HERE Local 11 and management at Hollywood’s Chateau Marmont have reached agreement for a historic union contract.  Today, the hotel’s workers overwhelmingly ratified the contract. 

The new contract, which takes effect immediately, sets a new standard for boutique hotels.   Some highlights include: 

  • An immediate 25% wage increase for returning non-tipped workers. Housekeepers, for example, will earn $25.00 an hour within one year.  
  • Free family health insurance for workers who work 60 hours or more a month.
  • Free legal services for immigration, consumer and tenant issues. 
  • Union pension fund. 
  • Unprecedented protections for immigrants.  For example, workers with DACA and TPS work authorization have 5 years to return to work should the government or Supreme Court eliminate these programs.
  • Hotel recognizes Juneteenth as a paid holiday, making the hotel one of  the very first to recognize this historic day. 

The agreement marks the latest stage in a partnership between the iconic hotel and Los Angeles’s hospitality workers’ union.  In August, the hotel voluntarily recognized the union after a majority of workers signed union cards and promptly commenced negotiations for a first union contract.  The agreement formalizes the parties’ relationship and establishes a framework for cooperation both inside the hotel and beyond.  

Walter Almendarez, a worker leader of UNITE HERE Local 11 who served as a Bellperson at Chateau Marmont for 26 years, said: “I am so proud that my coworkers and I will be returning to work at the Chateau Marmont while providing a secure and dignified life for our families.”

UNITE HERE Local 11 Co-President Kurt Petersen stated, “The Chateau Marmont workers are the heroes of the pandemic.  After losing their jobs along with other hotel workers during the pandemic, they not only helped win California’s historic right to return to work law but now they will return to their jobs with an extraordinary union contract.  We commend the Chateau Marmont for negotiating in good faith and look forward to opportunities to build a more just Los Angeles together.” 

HUGO SOTO-MARTINEZ SWEARING IN

UNITE HERE Local 11 knocked on a total of 770,000 doors contacted over 100,000 voters with over 100 canvassers to elect Karen Bass for Mayor, Hugo Soto-Martinez for Los Angeles City Council District 13, Erin Darling for Los Angeles City Council District 11, and Lindsey Horvath for Los Angeles County Supervisor.

Irvine Referendum Petition Signature Withdrawal Form

Paid for by Citizens for the Protection of Hotel Housekeepers. Committee major funding from:
UNITE HERE Local 11

Click below to download the form

Request for withdrawal of signature from referendum petition

2022 ARIZONA MIDTERMS THANK YOU VIDEO

As the largest field operation in Arizona, UNITE HERE Local 11 and Worker Power were crucial in bringing Senator Kelly and Governor Hobbs over the finish line. Our 400 canvassers were hard at work knocking on over 750,000 doors since late summer, and talking to 120,000 voters. Thank you to everyone who joined us.

 

Irvine Becomes First City in OC to Pass Protections for Hotel Housekeepers

Law would provide fair compensation for heavy workloads and protections from sexual assault

Irvine, CA: Irvine housekeepers made history tonight, when the Irvine City Council voted 3-1 in favor of passing the Irvine Hotel Worker Protection Ordinance that would provide fair compensation for burdensome workload and protections from sexual assault.

The Irvine Hotel Worker Protection Ordinance will also:

1. Provide working panic buttons and other security measures like 24-hour security to protect hotel housekeepers from sexual assault and other threatening conduct.

2. Reinstate automatic daily room cleaning.

3. Ensure fair compensation for heavy workloads.

On October 25th, the Irvine City Council voted 3-2 to move forward a policy, Tuesday night’s vote was the final vote needed to pass the law.

“History was made in Orange County today, the Irvine City Council chose to stand with women against abuse by passing the law to provide fair compensation for burdensome workloads and protections from assault.” said Ada Briceño, co-president UNITE HERE Local 11. “Housekeepers are the backbone of this city, and this law will ensure more of them are treated with dignity and respect.”

Irvine will be the first city in Orange County to enact such protections. California cities such as Long Beach, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Glendale and Los Angeles have already passed similar ordinances.

“The added measures of this new law make me feel protected and heard by our city leaders.” said Evelyn Martinez, Irvine Hilton housekeeper of 13 years.

“Thanks to the Irvine City Council for voting to stand with housekeepers like me across Irvine,” said Diana Nufio, Housekeeper at Irvine Hilton for 10 years. “The bravery of my coworkers and I has not gone unnoticed.”

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

UNITE HERE Local 11 and Worker Power Knock on 1.6 Million Doors for Midterms in 2nd and 5th Largest Cities in U.S. 

Over 600 cooks, dishwashers, housekeepers and  food service workers fight to elect pro-worker candidates across Arizona and Southern California

AZ and CA: As the 2022 midterm elections come to a close, the hospitality workers union UNITE HERE Local 11 in coalition with Worker Power, which focuses on young voters, people of color and swing voters, celebrate their work in Arizona, Los Angeles and Orange County to elect leaders who will fight for working families up and down the ballot.

Starting as early as May, a total of over 600 canvassers with UNITE HERE Local 11 and Worker Power knocked on a total of 1.6 million doors, and had 250,000 conversations with voters between the two states. They knocked on 1 million of those doors after the primary elections.

These are the same hospitality workers who, in 2020 in the midst of a global pandemic, turned Arizona blue for President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris by knocking on 800,000 doors, and then went to Georgia for the special Senate election to secure seats for Senators Warnock and Ossoff.

In Arizona, Worker Power and UNITE HERE Local 11 knocked on 750,000 doors and contacted 120,000 voters with 400 canvassers by election day on the ground across Maricopa county, advocating for candidates U.S. Senator Mark Kelly, Katie Hobbs, Adrian Fontes, state legislators Christine Marsh and Judy Schwiebert, Kellen Wilson for Phoenix City Council District 6, and Carlos Garcia for Phoenix City Council District 8.

Phoenix, AZ: “Our canvassers have been hard at it since the late summer, hitting almost half a million doors since Labor Day alone,” said UNITE HERE Local 11 Co-President Susan Minato. “Our members have canvassed cycle after cycle for the last 15 years in Arizona because they know that it’s door-by-door that things are going to change. In addition to canvassing for Senator Mark Kelly, who we successfully got elected in 2020, and Secretary of State/gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs, this year we have proudly run one of our own members for Phoenix City Council – Kellen Wilson. Kellen would join our member Betty Guardado who we got elected to Phoenix City Council in 2019. Bellmen, bartenders, cooks, and housekeepers have led the charge for political change in Arizona, and they won’t stop now.”

In Los Angeles, UNITE HERE Local 11 knocked on a total of 770,000 doors contacted over 100,000 voters with over 100 canvassers to elect Karen Bass for Mayor, Hugo Soto-Martinez for Los Angeles City Council District 13, Erin Darling for Los Angeles City Council District 11, and Lindsey Horvath for Los Angeles County Supervisor.

Los Angeles, CA: “I am proud of Hugo, who is one of our own,” said Local 11 Executive Vice President Martha Santamaria. “He comes from humble beginnings and worked to organize his own hotel. He knows what it is to be a working person, and he will be an excellent voice for working families on Los Angeles’ City Council.”

“The hospitality industry is the backbone of Los Angeles’ economy – when the industry goes up, the workers’ livelihoods should go up, and the city’s economy goes up by extension,” said Co-President Kurt Petersen. “Local 11 members put on their masks and their sneakers this summer to gather over 110,000 signatures for a housekeeper ordinance that was passed into law this July at the same time as we campaigned for one of our own to get onto LA City Council.”

In Orange County, Worker Power and UNITE HERE Local 11 knocked on 80,000 doors across Anaheim and contacted over 14,000 voters with 50 cooks, housekeepers, dishwashers and servers on the ground. Our members in Orange County walked for Anaheim Mayor candidate Ashley Aitken, and council candidates Al Jabbar, Carlos Leon, and Orange County Board of Supervisor candidates Sunny Park and Vicente Sarmiento.

Anaheim, CA: “The citizens of Anaheim are sick of corruption in city politics, and we heard that over and over again as we knocked on their doors,” said Campaign Director Austin Lynch, Worker Power and UNITE HERE Local 11. “People are ready for politicians who will fight for them, like Ashley Aitken, Al Jabbar and Carlos Leon.”

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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.
Worker Power is a multi-racial, multi-generational organization that uses union organizing tactics and community-driven electoral campaigns to fight for economic, social, and immigrant justice

HUGO THANKS UNITE HERE LOCAL 11

This is not a watch party for some politician. This is a family and a movement and a celebration of coming together to take on big challenges. Hospitality workers are going to keep this energy going for a long time, Los Angeles. ¡Sí se puede! — UNITE HERE Local 11

Laura Banuet Canvassing in Arizona

In 2022, HMS HOST Cashier at LAX Lara Banuet went to Arizona to knock on doors and fight for our democracy.