Thousands of Southern California hotel workers took to picket lines Sunday, wearing red union T-shirts and chanting for others to join their fight for better wages and benefits in a region they say has become increasingly unaffordable.
“I couldn’t sleep last night,” said Diana Rios Sanchez, a supervisor and former room attendant at the InterContinental in downtown Los Angeles, where picketing started as early as 6 a.m.
At midnight on Friday, contracts expired at 62 regional hotels where non-management employees, including front desk staff and those who work in restaurants and clean rooms, are represented by Unite Here Local 11. More than 32,000 hospitality workers across Southern California and Arizona are represented by the union.
