On Saturday, June 11, a tentative agreement between UNITE HERE Local 11 and the Los Angeles Hotel Employer’s Council was announced. It covers nearly 3000 workers in the leading Los Angeles tourism and convention hotels, many of them recent immigrants and women. The settlement occurred after 14 months of arduous negotiations and immediately after an unfair labor practice strike began at one hotel and the others were faced with the question whether to lock out. It was mediated by the newly-elected Mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa.
The Union achieved its central goal, a 2006 expiration date. Contracts covering hotel workers in other major United States and Canadian cities with substantial density of unionized hotels also expire in 2006. Negotiators also settled unfair labor practice charges that developed during the course of the bargaining.
On June 15, 2005, the members of the bargaining unit ratified the settlement by a 98% vote in favor.
DCB attorneys represented Local 11 in the negotiations and the unfair labor practices cases.
