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Council Approves Living Wage For Hotel Workers Near LAX
City News Service- October 11, 2006
A City Council committee Wednesday approved a living wage ordinance for employees working in hotels along the Century Boulevard Corridor near Los Angeles International Airport.
The council's Trade, Commerce and Tourism Committee agreed that hotels should pay their employees a minimum of $9.39 per hour with health benefits, or $10.64 per hour without health benefits.
The committee also agreed that hotel employees should have at least 12 days of paid vacation or sick time, and up to 10 additional days of unpaid sick days.
The typical hotel employee working at an LAX-area hotel currently earns $6.75 per hour with no health benefits.
The full City Council is expected to take up the matter within two weeks.
"I see absolutely no reason to postpone what I think will do more to improve the quality of life of those who serve in some of the hardest jobs in the city of Los Angeles, and who I think are responsible for increased tourism and who are responsible for people coming back to our hotels in Los Angeles,"said Councilwoman Janice Hahn, who chairs the three-member committee.
The committee also approved a "Hotel Worker Retention Ordinance" to protect the jobs and pay levels of lodging employees if their company is sold to another hotel chain.
Under that plan, the new employer would be required to evaluate each retained employee after 90 days of taking over, and offer the workers to stay if their performance is considered satisfactory.
Additionally, the committee agreed that service charges typically charged by hotel operators for large events should go directly to employees who performed the services.
"It's very disheartening to hear people say that we would take advantage of those people that make up the core part of our business, and that we wouldn't invoke fair wage practices," Cindy Boulton, general manager of the Radisson LAX Hotel, told the committee.
"I would question, quite honestly, why this specific area," Boulton said."This is more of an industry issue, not just at LAX hotels."
The ordinance comes about two weeks after about 1,500 protestors marched along Century Boulevard during a planned protest as part of a push for higher wages and improved benefits for airport-area hotel workers.
Hundreds of "pre-registered" protesters were arrested for civil disobedience after sitting in the middle of the street, blocking rush-hour traffic during the late afternoon demonstration on Sept. 28.
The Century Boulevard Corridor has the largest concentration of hotel rooms in Los Angeles County but the lowest room rates, according to a report released earlier this year from the Gateway to L.A. Blue Ribbon Commission, headed by former Councilwoman Ruth Galanter.
Hotel wages in the area are 20 percent lower than at downtown hotels and 30 percent lower than in Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, according to Galanter.
"We're not going to go away from putting together this proper package where all sides win," said Councilman Bill Rosendahl, whose 11th District includes LAX and the Century Boulevard Corridor. "We all win if the workers make more money and have better working conditions ... we have to work together."
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For over 20 years, Isabel “Segunda” Brentner has worked at the LAX Hilton, keeping her focus on her family and her job. “My priorities [were] to help my family,” says Brentner, who, along with raising her own children, cared for both her father and grandmother when they were ill. 
Enedina Alvarez, a 54-year-old single parent, says she must be both mother and father to her teenage children. Yet, with two jobs, she has barely enough money to house, feed and clothe them—and precious little time to spend with them. Although she receives health insurance through her job, she cannot afford to insure her children. Alvarez says, “I pray to God that my kids do not get sick because I cannot pay the medical bills.” 
Nearly all hotel housekeepers are women. The majority are women of color and immigrants.
