February 16, 2025 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

L.A. City Council Tentatively Boosts Minimum Wage To $15.37 At Big Hotels:

The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday tentatively approved a $15.37-per-hour minimum wage for workers at large hotels in Los Angeles.

The council voted 12-3 to approve the minimum wage, with council members Bernard Parks, Mitchell Englander and Paul Krekorian dissenting. Because the decision was not unanimous, the issue will come back for a final vote Oct. 1.

If approved, hotels with 300 or more rooms would need to start paying the $15.37 minimum wage by July 1 and those with at least 150 rooms would have to comply by July 1, 2016.

Unionized hotels in many cases would be exempt from the wage hike, due to workers already agreeing to a bargained contract. Hotels facing a financial hardship would be able to apply for a waiver from paying the $15.37 wage.

The wage hike would affect an estimated 13,000 hotel workers, according to one economist hired by the city, although that figure assumed the ordinance would affect hotels with 125 or more rooms. City officials estimate 40 non-union hotels in the city have 150 or more rooms and would need to adopt the $15.37 minimum wage.

The council also approved an amendment offered earlier by Councilman Jose Huizar, instructing city officials to study possibly exempting older, sometimes historic, buildings that are developed into hotels. The Ace and The Standard hotels in downtown Los Angeles are examples of hotels that were opened within such buildings, according to the councilman.

The tentative decision to raise the hotel wage was greeted by thunderous applause from a room of supporters, many of them members of local labor groups who contend the wage hike would improve the quality of life for low- paid hotel workers struggling to make ends meet.

Opponents of the higher hotel wage warned that it would lead to job losses or hotels cutting back on services, while also discouraging much needed new hotel development in the city.

Opponents of the hotel wage, including the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association of Los Angeles, also complained the issue was rushed to a vote just one day after economics studies were released.

Economic studies commissioned by the city found that some job loss could occur, but also concluded individual workers’ pay would go up and result in a better quality of life.

Council members who support the ordinance said despite the less-than-ideal economic impacts found in the studies, it was still better to improve the low pay of some of the industry’s workers.

“Yes, we might see some job growth slow or impacted, but the lives of thousands of workers will be improved,” said Councilman Curren Price, who introduced the original motion to increase the hotel wage. “They’ll be making a living wage that will permit them to provide for their families.”

He added the focus should be on “creating a living wage (so) that an individual only needs to work one job to provide for his or her family.”

Price disputed the hotel industry’s claim that it has been singled out by the ordinance, saying hotels have also been “targeted” with “financial assistance in the form of tax breaks.”

The city has been “actively creating incentives to single out the hotel industry, in a good way,” he said.

Councilwoman Nury Martinez, who co-authored the motion with Price, said the “positives far outweigh the negatives,” and she countered assertions that it would drive away developers who had been looking to build hotels in Los Angeles.

She said hotels are still opening and “will be built to meet the demand of tourism.”

Martinez noted “the majority of workers in this industry are women,” and argued that it would benefit the families of the industry’s lowest paid employees.

“It is not OK for anyone working in this industry to clock out at 3 o’clock in the afternoon and rush to a second job,” she said. “It is not OK for families to have to be able raise a family working for this thriving industry, to not see their children before they go to bed. It is unacceptable.”

Parks, who voted against the wage increase, said he preferred a citywide or regional approach to increasing the wage, saying Los Angeles hotels would be competing with nearby businesses that do not have to raise their employees’ pay.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has said he would support the increased hotel wage if it is approved by the City Council. The hike is higher than his own proposed $13.25 minimum wage for all businesses in the city.

in News
<>Related Posts

Country Club Donates $1M for Palisades Recovery

February 14, 2025

February 14, 2025

The club has encouraged members and partners to contribute to an established fund The Riviera Country Club has pledged $1...

UCLA Suspends Pro-Palestinian Student Groups Following Protest at UC Regent’s Home

February 14, 2025

February 14, 2025

Chancellor Cites Potential Student Code Violations; Student Groups Reject Allegations UCLA has suspended two pro-Palestinian student organizations following a protest...

Black History Greens Festival to Celebrate Community Legacy of Virginia Avenue Park

February 13, 2025

February 13, 2025

The free community event is part of Santa Monica’s Black History Month celebrations, with the 2025 theme, “Roots and Reflections:...

Flash Flood Warning Issued for Burn Areas, LAFD Officer Swept off Road by Debris

February 13, 2025

February 13, 2025

Storm Damage Closes Pacific Coast Highway, Officials Urge Caution Not even members of the LAFD are being spared from the...

Film Review: Love Hurts

February 13, 2025

February 13, 2025

FILM/ REVIEWLOVE HURTSRated R83 MinutesReleased February 7th Valentine’s Day is written all over this movie. Love Hurts seems to be...

New Map Tracks Palisades Cleanup Progress, Identifies Phase 1 and Phase 2 Areas

February 12, 2025

February 12, 2025

New interactive map helps residents track debris removal progress as officials emphasize unprecedented cleanup speed A newly released interactive map...

Santa Monica Hotel Event Space Offers Affordability, Accessibility

February 12, 2025

February 12, 2025

Elevate Your Events with Versatile Venues and Exceptional Service Coastal stays and eclectic event spaces don’t have to be expensive....

Santa Monica Arson Suspect Arrested After String of Fires Across City

February 12, 2025

February 12, 2025

Authorities used aerial drone technology to assist in the investigation A man was arrested Saturday in connection with a string...

Tai Chain to Donate Santa Monica Grand Opening Proceeds to Wildfire-Affected Restaurants

February 12, 2025

February 12, 2025

The restaurant’s U.S. presence began in Arcadia, Calif., in 2000, and has since expanded to 17 locations  Din Tai Fung,...

SMMUSD Makes Rain-Related Announcement About Malibu Schools This Week

February 12, 2025

February 12, 2025

Road Closures and Flood Warnings Force the School District’s Hand All four public schools in Malibu will be closed on...

(Video) The Willows Students Bring a 50-Foot Dragon to Life Through Art and Teamwork

February 12, 2025

February 12, 2025

Kristy Acero, The Willows DK-4th Grade Art teacher, led her students in a large-scale, collaborative project, with each grade creating...

Man Sues Famous Marina del Rey Bar for Alleged Assault

February 12, 2025

February 12, 2025

The plaintiff is seeking compensatory and punitive damages By Zach Armstrong A patron has sued Brennan’s Pub in Marina del...

Phase 2 Debris Removal Underway in Palisades, Officials Tout Historic Recovery Speed

February 12, 2025

February 12, 2025

Residents Urged to Submit ROE Forms as Crews Accelerate Debris Removal Efforts Crews have begun Phase 2 of debris removal...

Powerful Storm to Bring Heavy Rains, Possible Debris Flow to Los Angeles

February 12, 2025

February 12, 2025

Officials Warn of Risks, Urge Residents to Prepare for Severe Weather A Pacific storm system is expected to bring widespread...

One of Palisades’ First Black Homeowners Seeks Support After Fire Destroys Home

February 11, 2025

February 11, 2025

Now displaced, she faces uncertainty in finding stable housing Nearly $42,000 has been raised for Louvenia Jenkins, a 97-year-old woman...