Workers strike at major Southern California hotels over pay and benefits
By DAMIAN DOVARGANES
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Workers are picketing major Southern California hotels after walking off the job during the holiday weekend to demand better pay and benefits. The strike by bellhops, front desk agents, room attendants, cooks, servers and dishwashers began early Sunday in Los Angeles and Orange counties just as summer tourism is ramping up. Members of Unite Here Local 11 voted in favor of authorizing the strike. The union is seeking better wages, improved health care benefits, higher pension contributions and less strenuous workloads. A coalition of hotels accuses union leaders of canceling a bargaining session and refusing to come to the table.
