From today’s Voice of OC:
Workers at Irvine Hilton, Anaheim Hilton and Sheraton Park in Orange County and hotels in Los Angeles walked off the job at 3 a.m. Tuesday morning as part of a second round of strikes for better pay.
Amid stalled contract negotiations, unionized hotel workers across Southern California are demanding $5 an hour more the first year of their new agreement followed by a $3 bump in their second and third year to help cover rising housing costs.
“I am on strike because I welcome hundreds of guests into Anaheim everyday, but I still cannot afford to retire or provide for my family, even though we know the industry is booming,” said Elizabeth Galindo, housekeeper at the Anaheim Hilton in a Tuesday news release.
“We are proud to join our sisters and brothers in Los Angeles on strike.”
The first round of strikes in the region kicked off just days before the July 4th holiday.
Ada Briceño, co-president of Unite Here Local 11 – the union representing the workers – said in a Tuesday phone interview that workers at 32 hotels in the region have walked out in the first two rounds of strikes and more are expected to follow.
“It is important for this industry to understand that the workers are the backbone of the hotel. And they have seen the difficulty already in 32 hotels, of what it’s like to operate without the backbone,” she said.
“We need to ensure that workers can put a roof over their heads.”
The Coordinated Bargaining Group, which represents 44 hotels in LA and OC, said in a Monday news release that they have offered to meet with Union representatives on July 14 and July 18 to resume negotiations.
Read the complete story here.