Some hotel workers in Orange County and throughout Southern California may soon go on strike as early as the July 4th weekend.
Ada Briceño, co-president of the union, said in a Friday phone interview the vote was a step towards justice at a time when workers in different industries in California are striking.
“It was just a tremendous day for hotel workers. Workers across our jurisdiction authorized the largest industry strike in US history,” she said. “There is a very, very high likelihood that workers will strike.”
The strike was authorized with a 96% vote, according to a news release.
The Anaheim/Orange County Hotel and Lodging Association did not respond to a request for comment Friday.
Pete Hillan, a spokesperson for the California Hotel and Lodging Association, previously told Voice of OC that calling for a strike while contract negotiations are happening is “jumping the gun.”
He also said a strike ahead of the high summer season will jeopardize the paychecks of other workers.
“Unite Here is taking deeply needed revenue from other workers that support hospitality – restaurants, bars, entertainers, and more importantly, it’s taking away much needed (hotel tax revenue) and other tax revenue from the city,” Hillan said.
According to union representatives, the average pay for a room attendant in Orange County is $17.50 an hour.
Briceño said workers are also looking for safer working conditions and for daily room cleanings to be restored after they were eliminated during the COVID Pandemic.
In OC, contracts are currently being negotiated for workers at the Marriott Irvine, Irvine Hilton, the Balboa Bay Club, Hilton Anaheim, Sheraton Park, Costa Mesa Hilton, Laguna Cliff and the Embassy Suites in Irvine.
Those contracts are expected to expire on June 30.
[Read: Orange County’s Hotel Workers Consider Striking Over Pay Raises]
The vote comes days before the City Council members in Anaheim – home to the Disneyland resort – have to decide if they’re going to adopt an Unite Here proposed ordinance that would bump the minimum wage for hotel workers to $25 an hour or kick the question to voters.
Anaheim City Council members last month unanimously voted to study the proposed ordinance after push back from hotel workers.
Briceño said she is certain that the council will send the ordinance to the ballot rather than adopt it.
“We’ve had a history in Anaheim of deal making by the hotel industry, by the tourism industry and it’s all solidly swayed to developers and hoteliers,” she said.
“I don’t believe that there’s a will from the industry, therefore, there’s not a will from the council to adopt the highly needed measures that hotel hotel workers put on that ordinance.”
Hosam Elattar is a Voice of OC reporter and corps member with Report for America, a GroundTruth initiative. Contact him at helattar@voiceofoc.org or on Twitter @ElattarHosam.
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