Hotel workers at the Hilton Pasadena and Hyatt Place Pasadena walked off the job on Sunday, Dec. 31, hours before the city’s defining event, the Rose Parade, was set to drew the eyes of the world. The workers’ union said cooks, room attendants and other workers have no intention of returning until the festivities have concluded or their demands for better pay and working conditions are met.
On Sunday morning, the clamor of parade attendees at the packed hotels intermingled with the chants of employees represented by hospitality worker union Unite Here Local 11 as they shuttled back and forth between the inns to stage pickets outside the buildings.
Related: Complete Rose Parade coverage
“I’m in the strike because the pay we receive doesn’t reflect the enormous amount of work we do. I struggle to pay rent and bills. Everything is so expensive,” said Luis Perez, a 30-year employee of the Hilton Pasadena, who works in shipping and receiving. “There’s plenty of business at the hotel, so it’s fair for them to pay us a fair wage.”
The union has been engaged in ongoing labor disputes with employers since July, in what its leaders call the largest hotel worker strike in modern history. The latest action at the Hilton and Hyatt Place, the two unionized hotels in Pasadena, began at 5 a.m. on New Years Eve and will continue during New Years Day, leaving the hotels without cooks, bellman, housekeepers and more staff during the busiest time of the year.
The workers, also including dishwashers, servers, bellmen and front desk agents, planned to conduct a New Year’s Eve parade of their own beginning at 6 p.m. at the Hilton Pasadena, according to the labor union.
“We are continuing conversations with the union and remain focused on reaching an agreement that puts our associates and their best interests at the center,” said a spokesperson for Aimbridge Hospitality, which owns the Hilton Pasadena. “While these conversations are ongoing, the…
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