In what has been described as the largest strike in the history of the US hospitality industry, thousands of hotel workers in Southern California went on strike on Sunday, July 2. The United Here Local 11 union organized the labor action, representing 32,000 workers across over 60 hotels in the state.
Last month, the union held a decisive vote in favor of striking during the busy July Fourth weekend with the goal of pressuring management to improve wages and benefits. Approximately 15,000 employees, including cooks, room attendants, dishwashers, and front desk workers, are affected by the strike.
The union’s demands include an immediate increase of $5 per hour in wages, along with an annual raise of $3 for the next three years. Southern California has experienced some of the steepest increases in the cost of living compared to other regions in the country in recent years.