AUGUST 18, 2023 – At the end of a fourth wave of strikes, hundreds of workers and a slew of UUSMers joined diswashers, room attendants, banquet servers and others for a rally at the Fairmont Miramar hotel. Workers are now calling for a BOYCOTT of the hotel because the hotel is engaging in roughing up workers as an intimidation tactic.
You can read all about the contract fight. Thousands of workers across Los Angeles and Orange Counties have been conducting rolling strikes for months after their contracts expired on June 30. They are advocating for just compensation so they need not commute hours each way to work each day. They want fair working conditions. They want to contribute to the lives of their families and communities.
If you are around Labor Day weekend, it’s all but guaranteed that you’ll have the opportunity to join UUSM again on the streets of Santa Monica to stand up for workers.
Email jweber@uusm.org for more information. Thank you!
JULY 20, 2023 – A third wave of strikes began this morning! Read all about it here. A special rally is being called this afternoon – 4 pm to 7:30 pm at the Fairmont Miramar at Wilshire and Ocean! Grab your Side with Love or CLUE t-shirt, noise makers, and reusable water bottle and head on down!
A second rally is happening on Friday, July 21 at 10 am at the W Hollywood (Hollywood and Vine). Picket lines continue all weekend in Hollywood, West Hollywood, Pasadena, Glendale, and near LAX.
Email jacki.weber@uusm.org for details on how you can participate.
JULY 10, 2023 – A new wave of strikes has begun! This time, workers are striking in the LAX area. If you are available to join in the next few days, please contact jacki.weber@uusm.org. If you’d like to stay abreast of the campaign, sign up to do so here!
JULY 5, 2023 – Thanks to everyone who walked with Santa Monica hotel workers on their three-day strike. What a wonderful show of solidarity! They, and workers at other hotels in LA and OC have paused their strike lines for the moment as negotiations continue. But they reserve the right to restart them if needed. And when they do, we’ll turn out again.
We had a joyful 4th of July march through Santa Monica, and turned out in the two days prior. Y’all are awesome for being a part of this effort to improve the plights of low-wage workers in our community.
The strike began on July 2 as thousands of cooks, room attendants, dishwashers, servers, bellmen, and front desk agents walked out on their jobs in the largest multi-hotel strike in Unite Here Local 11’s history. Workers are demanding livable wages, pensions, and reasonable workloads.
Last month we joined with hundreds of community members of all kinds to support tourism workers for a historic action of witness. We called attention to the conditions that hotel workers face and the incredible opportunity for change.
Together we sang, chanted, prayed, danced and waited for change to come. Workers tell us they were inspired and deeply moved by our support.
Arturo Hueso, houseman of 30 years at the Fairmont Miramar – Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica said “I am on strike because unlike my boss, my cancer does not take a holiday. If I lose my healthcare I would pay thousands of dollars out of pocket for treatments and medications. I am on strike for my life.”
Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice builds an organized, connected, interfaith movement for economic justice. CLUE has a long history with UUSM, and CLUE has been accompanying these workers all year long: as they prepared for contract negotiations in winter. As they shared their stories with employers and community members in negotiations and on the streets. And as they voted overwhelmingly to authorize the summer strike on June 8th.
Join us! Email FIA@uusm.org for more information!
