UNITE HERE Local 11, the largest hospitality union in the region, voted Thursday to authorize a strike over unsuccessful attempts to negotiate a wage raise with major hotels.
The union counts some 32,000 workers, including room attendants, cooks, dishwashers, front desk agents, servers, and food service workers among its members. 15,000 of those members voted to authorize a strike today. 15,000 of them work at the hotels threatened with a strike, including Hyatt, Hilton, Highgate, Accor, IHG, and Marriott, along with West Hollywood’s One and Andaz hotels; the strike itself would be the largest hotel worker strike in modern U.S. history, according to UNITE HERE.
The union has been pursing an immediate $5 per hour wage increase since negotiations started on April 20, but the hotels have not offered a response to their request.
UNITE HERE plays a heavy hand in local politics. The union’s deep pockets provided essential help getting Mayor Sepi Shyne and Councilmembers John Erickson and Chelsea Byers elected via flurries of campaign mailers and a wildly successful ballot harvesting operation. Though they supported Councilmember Lauren Meister’s initial run for office, UNITE HERE spent big bucks on negative campaigning against her this past election season. Meister ended up leading all her opponents by several thousand votes.
Looks like we’re all going to get rid of hotels and just have Airbnb forever here, then, eh? Anyway, welcome to the next phase of democracy: socialism.
Democracy is rule by the poor. — Aristotle
90% of them DO NOT even live in WEHO!
That union politically raids small towns like West Hollywood!
Because they cannot afford the exorbitant rents here.
Woe to the poor million/billion $ companies that venture into hotels.
[…] UNITE HERE Local 11 is threatening to strike. […]
Please do strike, higher wager means higher room rates. This allows me to charge more for my AirBnB while keeping the rate well below a dumpy West Hollywood hotel.
[…] UNITE HERE Local 11 is threatening to strike. […]
And thank Lindsay Horvath for enabling and encouraging Unite to protest one of our cities biggest employers, Cedars Sinai.
Horvath proves the lowest form of humanity can become an elected official in California.
She’s just following the methods set by Adam Shifty Schiff.
Well, yes, now is the time to strike, when hotels are suffering and desperate for guests to stay afloat. I’ve worked hospitality in California for many years and it always pays very well. When you’re making 15 bucks + tips to pick up a plate or pour a drink, that’s pretty good. In fact some hotels pay around 25 bucks for catering. It pays well enough for what it is. If you want to earn more, you have to wait tables while going to college and then try to get a job as a CEO of a tech firm. But… Read more »
Oh, it’s now $19 in WeHo.
Oh,oh, I am thinking of attending Outfest,the annual gay film festival in July.With a strike by Unite Here,some hotel services are going to be affected,something I will not appreciate if I am staying at a hotel with striker lines in front and reduced room service. I can tolerate a bed not being made everyday,but seeing trash build up in the hallways will not be welcomed.If this strike occurs,I am going to have to reconsider my plans for attending the festival. The SAG (actors) is threatening to strike as well,so you will see strike signs will over town.The summer of discontent… Read more »
sharing too much information. thanks
No one union should have that much power over how one city operates.
Communist city, communist results. Maybe check your neighbors for symbols of communism and Joe McCarthy was right.
I am a member of the Editors Guild (IATSE) and a big supporter of unions. So it makes me very sad that I do not support this specific union. I have real problems with their decision to give political and financial support to the three W. Hollywood city council members who have done real damage to our city. I am also concerned that the developers at 8850 Sunset — the Viper Room project — also seem to be big supporters of this union.
As a member of the WGA which is now on strike I totally support this Union in going after all these major hotel s which are all part of major chains. All are run by white male CEOs making millions. What is so ridiculous is this city is supposedly so liberal it’s very anti-union. I will propose the WGA support the strike. Get the CEOs to clean up all the rooms. They are the enemy elites destroying our country along with the dreadful political hacks.
As a long time member of SAG-AFTRA, I support the WGA. With streaming and AI, writers have legitimate issues to negotiate. We are “Guild” members. Cleaning rooms is not a craft, unless Marie Condo is doing the work! Most of the hotels in West Hollywood are “boutique” hotels not large chains. And, Unite’s hidden agenda is to eliminate part-time workers. Many Seniors, Gays and Artist types enjoy working a few part-time shifts to supplement their income. Unionization allows for no part-time workers. Goodbye local Grandmas and Guncles hello busriders from outside West Hollywood. Take from the residents and give to… Read more »
very difficult to have part time workers and then offer them vacation and sick pay. It doesnt make sense.
Has it ever crossed your mind that the hotel owners and investors (smart people), should get to make decisions about part time vs. full time, rather than the maids cleaning out the crusted toothpaste in the sink?
Most hotel workers are full time; the only reason a hotel would hire part time workers would be to reduce benefits.
or for busy weekends or seasons when demand peaks.
That’s not even close to the truth.
If you support these union thugs I would ask you to take a Patagonian helicopter tour.
What makes you think money = intelligence?
Are you ok with non-white, non-male CEOs making millions? Your racism and sexism are on full display. Do you seriously think hotels would be better off with maids making all the decisions, and the executives cleaning up the rooms? Do you think people should be rewarded for their talents, for example a member of the WGA making more money than some kid who writes for the high school newspaper? What racism, sexism and hypocrisy is on display in your post. You make Chelsea Byers seem like Einstein.
Yes, I’m okay. BUT the Hotel CEOs are all white, looking like politicitians and everyone I hated in my fraternity!
Your Weho City Council is also all white, despite one of them making inaccurate claims about what race they are. And the City Council has always been 100% white since day 1. That is, there has never been an Asian or an African heritage person on it. But actually, I think the readers are more interested in knowing why you, an apparently talented WGA member, who gets paid more for your talents, are able to square your support of a maid strike of untalented non-skilled bed makers? On one hand you think you deserve more pay for your talents, on… Read more »
What racist claptrap…
Unite Here is a fungus that just keeps growing.