Posts tagged tourism
Los Angeles tourism industry and labor unions brawl ahead of 2028 Olympics
July 1, 2025 // After the city council passed a $30 minimum wage law in late May for workers in the airline, hotel and hospitality industries, a group of business interests — signed by players in the local hospitality industry and funded by major airlines and industry groups like Delta, United and the American Hotel & Lodging Association — launched a referendum effort to challenge the new law. “We’re giving everything we have to make this business work, to claw out of the hole that was created by COVID,” said Greg Plummer, a referendum proponent who runs a 250-employee concession company at LAX. “Our airports are still down substantially in traffic. Tourism is completely down, and the fires didn’t help … it gets to a point where it’s going to crumble a lot of small businesses.”
Strike by workers at a casino near the Las Vegas Strip enters 2nd day
November 18, 2024 // After the breakthrough deals last November, the Culinary Union quickly reached similar agreements for the rest of its members at major hotel-casinos on the Strip, downtown and at off-Strip properties — with the exception of Virgin Hotels. The contracts on the Strip alone cover more than 40,000 workers. While the union pays striking workers $500 per week for picketing shifts for at least five days, union members at the picket line on Friday said that they were expecting financial pain while being out of work.
Disneyland workers reach tentative deal with company, averting strike
July 25, 2024 // The bargaining committee previously accused Disney of having "engaged in multiple instances of conduct we allege are unfair labor practices, including unlawful discipline and intimidation and surveillance of union members exercising their right to wear union buttons at work." The union buttons in question depict a Mickey Mouse-style white glove raised in a fist. (The company has insisted that costumes worn by cast members are "a critical part of enhancing the experience of our Disney show.")
ALCATRAZ CITY CRUISES WORKERS STRIKE IN SAN FRANCISCO AMIDST SUMMER TOURISM SEASON
May 28, 2024 // As summer tourism kicks into gear, Alcatraz City Cruises workers are hitting the picket lines in San Francisco. Striking for better contracts, the unionized workers who operate the ferry services to Alcatraz Island abruptly halted operations Saturday morning, drawing the attention of tourists and city officials alike. According to NBC Bay Area, the workers are protesting "unfair labor practices" and a stall in negotiations that have dragged on for over a year.
Hotel Workers Union Strike Vote Taken at the Pasadena Hilton Could Be Largest Such Strike in U.S. History
June 12, 2023 // The timing coincides with the Los Angeles area’s preparations to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics. Workers are demanding improved contracts in advance of these events, expected to bring a significant boost to the local hotel industry. Workers are seeking a $10-an-hour wage increase, affordable family healthcare, retirement pensions, and safer staffing levels. They are also protesting the industry’s decision to cut staff and increase workloads during the Covid-19 pandemic.
LA City councilman introduces motion to raise wages to $25-an-hour for tourism workers
April 19, 2023 // As Los Angeles prepares to host games for the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics, local airport and hospitality workers are pushing for an increase in wages. Union leaders and tourism workers - like LAX and hotel employees - gathered Wednesday morning outside L.A. City Hall to demand better wages. They want their minimum wage for to go from $16 an hour to $25 an hour. The rally came as L.A. City Councilman Curren Price introduced a motion that seeks to raise wages to $25 an hour for tourism workers, with plans to increase pay to $30 by 2028.
Disney’s best offer for union employees falls short, according to the workers’ unions
January 12, 2023 // ORLANDO THEME PARKS Disney's best offer for union employees falls short, according to the workers' unions The STCU, a coalition of six labor unions representing 42,000 Disney employees, recommends rejecting the latest offer By McKenna Schueler on Tue, Jan 10, 2023 at 11:26 am SEND A NEWS TIP STCU union members rallied in between bargaining sessions on Wednesday, Nov. 30 - photo via Unite Here photo via Unite Here STCU union members rallied in between bargaining sessions on Wednesday, Nov. 30 After months of contract negotiations, and a rally to bring attention to the need for the Walt Disney Co. to pay its Orlando employees wages that keep up with the cost of living, the unions representing Disney workers say the company's "best offer" falls short. "Disney workers are facing extreme financial difficulties including inflation, which has caused the price of food and rent to skyrocket," the Service Trades Council Union, a coalition of six labor unions representing 42,000 Disney employees, shared in a news release. According to the unions, Disney unveiled its "best offer" for its Orlando employees during contract negotiations on Monday. The offer, in line with what Central Florida's largest employer floated last year, is an immediate $1 raise for the majority of their union workers in 2023, which would bring the minimum wage for their lowest paid workers to $16 an hour, and a $1 raise annually over the next five years. But the unions say this isn't good enough. The STCU has called on Disney to establish an $18 minimum wage, and a $3 pay raise in 2023 for workers who already make near or above that, to keep up with the higher cost of living in Central Florida. Leadership of all six unions have recommended that union members reject the latest offer from Disney. "Sixteen dollars per hour in 2023 does not keep up with the rising cost of living," said the STCU. "Every worker needs an initial raise larger than $1 to address these concerns."