Thousands of Southern California hospitality workers go on strike
03 Jul 2023 03:56pm
The union represents nearly 15,000 workers from 65 major hotels in Los Angeles and Orange Counties who are calling for higher pay and increased benefits. Affected hotels are currently remaining open with management and nonunion staff attempting to fill in during the strike ahead of the 4th of July holiday - AFP
Negotiations between a union and dozens of hotels over better wages, health benefits and pensions, which have been under way since April, have so far failed to produce a result. The contracts of workers at more than 60 hotels and food services, including cooks, cleaners and bellhops, expired during the weekend, reported German news agency (dpa).
Protesters in red T-shirts manned picket lines outside many buildings, including luxury hotels in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, holding placards.
The Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites, a large Los Angeles hotel with more than 600 workers, reached a tentative agreement with its employees on Thursday, preventing a strike.
The Unite Here Local 11 union represents about 15,000 workers in Southern California. Many of them complain that they have to take second jobs because of rising living costs and cannot afford rental housing near their jobs - BERNAMA
