Workers at 34 Southern California hotels hailed new labor contracts Monday that will boost wages by $10 an hour over four years, ending months of protests and rallies for thousands of employees.
The cooks, room attendants, dishwashers and others represented by Unite Here Local 11 were part of a massive labor strike that has seen more than 10,000 workers at 53 hotels stage walkouts, protests and picket lines since the labor action began on July 1, 2023.
Finalized contracts include the Anaheim Hilton, Courtyard Los Angeles L.A. Live, Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel and Irvine Marriott, among others.
Also see: See the list of 34 Southern California hotels voting on contracts this week
Labor disputes are ongoing at dozens of other hotels — including the Hotel Figueroa, Hotel Maya, Doubletree Downtown Los Angeles and the LA Grand.
“There are still 25 to 30 contracts that have to be finished,” Unite Here co-President President Kurt Petersen said. “Many of them are very close. If any employer has a doubt, they need to know they are already defeated. It is time to sign!”
Pete Hillan, a spokesperson for California Hotel & Lodging Association, welcomed the finalized labor agreements.
Also see: Four more hotels reach tentative labor agreements with Unite Here
“The ratification votes are a long time coming,” Hillan said in a statement. “We’re glad that hotel employees who have been waiting months now can enjoy the benefits of new contracts, including increased compensation, and continue the great work they do for our guests and our communities.”
Significant pay increases
Under new four-year contracts, many room attendants, cooks and other non-tipped workers at most of the hotels will get a $5 hourly pay increase in the first year, or an additional $850 monthly or $10,400 a year.
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They’ll see a $10-an-hour pay bump, or an increase of up to 50%, over the course of the labor…
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