Hollywood's Hotel & Hospitality Workers Join The Picket Lines

The Writers Guild of America strike is having a large effect on other unions.

The ongoing labor dispute has officially reached the two-month mark, drastically changing the Hollywood landscape. Several productions, notably Marvel Studios' "Blade" and "Thunderbolts" have paused production due to the strike, unable to continue without the work of their writers. As the strike continues, and SAG-AFTRA ruminates on the idea of possibly joining the writers, the future of the filmmaking industry remains uncertain. While studios refuse to budge and meet the demands of their creatives, another Hollywood-adjacent union is joining the picket line.

The Hollywood Reporter says that the Hollywood hospitality union UNITE HERE Local 11 is now on strike. The unionized hotel workers are attempting to negotiate higher pay and benefits. UNITE HERE Local 11 members will not be returning to work starting Sunday. This means that some of Hollywood's most notable hospitality properties won't have a full staff for Independence Day — Managers and non-union staff will continue to work. Over 15,000 hotel workers, including housekeepers, cooks, and dishwashers, across 65 properties in Los Angeles and Orange County, such as the Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons, are participating in the strike.

Local 11 argues that the hospitality industry has recovered post-COVID, but wages aren't reflecting the rampant inflation that has taken over Southern California. THR says that Local 11 is asking for a wage boost that starts at $5, as well as increased benefits, such as health insurance and pensions. Negotiations are at a standstill, largely in part due to the long weekend. "The industry got bailouts while we got cuts. Now, the hotel negotiators decided to take a four-day holiday instead of negotiating. Shameful," wrote Local 11 co-president Kurt Petersen in a statement received by THR.

This is one of the largest hospitality walkouts in United States history and should have drastic effects on Hollywood. The hospitality workers union services properties which are known to be used by those in the industry. Note that industry events, such as junkets, are commonly hosted on these properties. For Intercontinental Hotel worker Emely Lopez, who spoke with KTLA 5, the strike is a must. "We're basically asking for necessities because the cost of living here in Los Angeles has skyrocketed in the last years and it's just getting too expensive to live here," Lopez said, revealing that several of their coworkers have been priced out of the Los Angeles core.

Despite the pleas of workers like Lopez, who are fighting for a living wage, The Hotel Association of Los Angeles isn't budging. A coordinating bargaining group of several companies, and consists of brands like Hilton and Mariott, also aren't listening to UNITE HERE Local 11's requests. "Based on the union's actions, it's clear the union is not focused on the interests of our employees and its members and is instead focused on its political agenda," Keith Grossman, the spokesman of the hotel bargaining group, said in a statement obtained by THR.

The official Writers Guild of America West Twitter account is showing solidarity with UNITE HERE Local 11. "Members of @UNITEHERE11 continue to inspire WGA members at picket lines throughout Los Angeles," a statement on the social media site reads. "We fully support their fight for a #FairContract! #SoCalHotelStrike #WGAstrike #1u."