Particle.news

Download on the App Store

Southern California Hospitality Workers Secure New Contract with 34 Hotels

After months of strikes, workers win significant wage increases and benefits, but negotiations with 30 other hotels continue.

Unite Here Local 11 Co-President Kurt Petersen, right at podium, congratulates hotel workers and leaders as he announces the ratification results and unveiled the new contract terms at a news conference on the steps of the Intercontinental Hotel downtown in Los Angeles, Monday, March 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Image

Overview

  • Thousands of hospitality workers in Southern California ratified a new contract with 34 hotels, achieving higher pay, improved pension contributions, and fair workload guarantees.
  • The new four-year contract, which received 98% approval, includes wage hikes of $10 an hour for non-tipped workers, marking a 40% to 50% increase over the term.
  • Room attendants and top cooks will earn up to $35 and $41 an hour respectively by July 2027, with the contract also maintaining affordable health insurance for full family coverage.
  • The agreement comes after months of intermittent strikes by workers demanding wages that enable them to live near their workplaces, amid rising housing costs.
  • Union leaders vow to press for similar agreements with 30 other hotels and aim for a new deal before the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics to ensure family-sustaining jobs and affordable housing.