Hotel workers get a major court win

The California Supreme Court has refused to hear a challenge to the city’s law imposing a higher minimum wage on 13 hotels near Los Angeles International Airport, handing a major victory to a coalition of labor unions and community groups.

The decision, made public Wednesday, lets stand an ordinance passed by the City Council in 2006 that requires workers at 13 hotels to earn at least $10.64 per hour, or $9.39 if they receive health benefits.

“The hotel industry in Los Angeles is booming, and workers deserve to also share some of that success,” said Vivian Rothstein, deputy director of the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, which advocates for issues favored by organized labor.

Hotels near the airport are disappointed but have not decided their next move, said Ruben Gonzalez, executive director of the Hotel Assn. of Los Angeles and a partner with the City Hall lobbying firm Englander and Associates.

“The decision not to review this critical case is a hindrance to the growth of the hotel industry, and most importantly, the creation of jobs for working families,” he said.

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-- David Zahniser