The new year has brought more progress in contract negotiations between Southern California hotels and the union that represents their workers.
Unite Here Local 11 this week reached tentative agreements with four more properties in Los Angeles County. The union announced an agreement Monday with the Fairmont Miramar in Santa Monica. The union said Friday it had also closed deals with Sheraton Universal, Line Hotel and 1 Hotel West Hollywood.
Unite Here Local 11 represents thousands of housekeepers, cooks, dishwashers, servers and front-of-house workers in Southern California who have been pushing for higher wages and better benefits. The latest agreements cover almost 1,000 workers, said union spokeswoman María Hernández.
In total, the union has reached tentative agreements with 28 hotels, nearly half of about 60 properties in Los Angeles and Orange counties that were initially subject to intermittent strikes that began in July.
The union has refused to provide details on wages and other financial details of the agreements it has reached so far, and none of the 28 contracts have been put to a vote by workers. Hernández has said that, once ratified by workers at the various hotels, the contracts will increase salaries, strengthen pensions and increase investments in health care.
In a Friday news release announcing new agreements, the union criticized Aimbridge Hospitality, Blackstone and Ensemble, companies that own or operate several hotels that are still in talks with the union.
“Tourism is booming. Room prices are increasing. The World Cup is just around the corner. “While we recognize the growing list of hotels signing this historic agreement, we are dismayed that Aimbridge-operated hotels such as the Hyatt Regency LAX and Pasadena Hilton are so miserably failing to listen to their workers,” Kurt Petersen, Co-President of Unite Here Local. 11, he said in the statement.
Spokespeople for Blackstone and Ensemble did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Mark Tamis, global president of Aimbridge, said in an emailed statement that the company asked the union to accept a contract proposal it submitted for six properties it operates that “reflects our commitment to our associates and includes thoughtful increases in payments without tips.” salaries and continued contributions to health care and retirement.”
“We urge the union to act by endorsing the proposal so we can implement these wage increases at these properties, including retroactive pay,” Tamis said.
The six properties are Hilton Pasadena, Hyatt Regency LAX, Holiday Inn LAX, Sheraton Park Hotel at Anaheim Resort and the DoubleTree by Hilton hotels in downtown Los Angeles and San Pedro, said Lindsay Wyskowski, a spokeswoman representing Aimbridge in the signing. public relations Identity PR.
