Oh, it was noisy Thursday afternoon outside the Fairmont Miramar in Santa Monica, California, as more than 200 protesters marched near the entrance.
Most were members of Unite Here Local 11, the union that represents more than 30,000 hospitality workers across Southern California and Arizona. Since July, thousands have participated in rolling strikes across Orange and Los Angeles counties, seeking contracts that would increase their pay and health benefits and address the ever-escalating cost of living in Southern California.
Fairmont Miramar workers banged on pots and buckets and drums of the snare and bass variety. They twirled wooden ratchets and batted plastic hand clappers emblazoned with the Unite Here logo. Organizers on bullhorns spread out about every 50 feet of the picket line to scream out chants that everyone returned even louder.
