THE ANGEL–(BUSINESS WIRE) – UNITE HERE Local 11, representing over 32,000 hospitality professionals in Southern California and Arizona, today sent a letter to the American Hotel and Lodging Association and dozens of members of Congress strongly opposing the Save Hotel Jobs Act.
The policy under consideration by Congress would provide $ 20 billion in federal aid to encourage hotels to bring back their skilled workers. This help comes on top of the millions of Paycheck Protection Program loans that multiple hotels have received and were originally intended for small businesses to keep workers on their payroll. Local 11 has estimated that the country’s hospitality industry has already received $ 13.7 billion in public support while 75% of our members in the hospitality industry remain unemployed.
In California, the hospitality industry and hotel employers have opposed a return policy that would have guaranteed skilled workers their job if the industry reopened. In the face of opposition from the industry, UNITE HERE Local 11 managed to pass a return policy in Los Angeles, Long Beach, Glendale, Pasadena, unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County and most recently throughout the state of California. Extension of this protection to 700,000 employees in the hospitality industry.
“Bringing back skilled workers shouldn’t come at a cost of $ 20 billion. This is a slap in the face of the hundreds of thousands of carpenters, cooks, dishwashers and hotel workers who have lost their lives and livelihoods as a result of the pandemic. Any hotel employer who uses this as an opportunity to make money should be ashamed, ”said Kurt Petersen, Co-President of UNITE HERE Local 11.
Hotel workers, who are usually mostly colored women, have taken the brunt of this pandemic, and many have lost their lives to COVID-19. Employers like Terranea Resort and Chateau Marmont fired their veterans and suspended health care during the pandemic.
“The federal government has granted these hotel conglomerates millions of reliefs. It’s time to put workers first. The Biden Administration and Congress have an opportunity to better build and hold employers like Chateau Marmont and Terranea accountable, “said Susan Minato, Co-President of UNITE HERE Local 11.
“We ask the Congress to take the responsible path. First, by setting the paycheck protection program in a way that ensures real transparency and accountability. Second, all federal handouts to the hospitality industry should be conditioned and put in place enforceable COVID-19 logs to keep workers safe, and all direct payments should go to struggling workers, ”said Ada Briceño, Co-President of UNITE HERE Local 11 .
“I have dedicated 40 years of my life to the Chateau Marmont. I lost my health care after they fired me and now I drive part time delivering pizzas. Still, Andre Balazs, the owner of Chateau Marmont, was approved for a federal loan of $ 1.95 million. Workers like me still need to see some of that money or be brought back to work, ”said Carlos Barrera, garage attendant at Chateau Marmont.
UNITE HERE Local 11 is a union that represents over 32,000 hospitality professionals in Southern California and Arizona who work in hotels, restaurants, universities, convention centers, and airports.
