Unite Here, A Hotel Workers’ Union, Proposes LA Ordinance That Could Endanger Employees and Guests

Written in Partnership with Avazona | Published: October 24, 2023

Unite Here is a union that ostensibly is meant to represent the concerns of hotel workers. However, in a dispute involving hotels in Los Angeles, the union seems to be siding against its members’ concerns, argues Chip Rogers, the president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, in a recent op-ed.

“Unite Here wants to force all LA hotels to house homeless people next to paying guests,” wrote Rogers.

“It is hard to imagine a better way to put hotel workers in danger and destroy LA’s tourism industry. In 2020, nearly 25% of Los Angeles County’s adult homeless population had ‘severe mental illnesses,’ while 27% had a ‘long-term substance use disorder,’ according to Stanford University.

“These statistics explain why hotel job losses will be catastrophic if Unite Here succeeds in turning all LA hotels into homeless shelters. Who will want to work or stay at an LA hotel when doing so comes with enormous safety risks?”

Read more from LA Weekly here.