Hotel Workers Union Targets Luxury Properties

The hotel workers union launched a week of marches and demonstrations to highlight organizing campaigns aimed at luxury hotels in Santa Monica and downtown Los Angeles. Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel was the first target in the nationally funded campaign. A noon rally is planned for downtown Los Angeles today, with a larger march to follow Wednesday evening. Other planned actions include “human billboards” and a picket line at Loews. The Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees union is seeking to organize about 385 Loews workers and claims to have the support of a majority. Hotel management has insisted on a federally supervised secret ballot election, whereas the union wants to be recognized if a majority of workers simply sign pro-union cards.