The following is a press release from Unite Here! Local 11.
UNITE HERE Local 11 and Le Merigot Santa Monica reached a tentative agreement after months of negotiations, making it the first hotel in Santa Monica to do so during a citywide hotel sector labor dispute that has been marked by contentious strikes and picket lines. Le Merigot Santa Monica is the fifth hotel in the broader Los Angeles area to sign an agreement in this round of contract negotiations.
“I am thrilled about our new contract and what it will mean for me and my family”, said Maria Espinoza, a Laundry Attendant of 19 years at Le Merigot Santa Monica. “I am pleased that we are the first workers in Santa Monica to reach an agreement, paving the way for our sisters and brothers at the other hotels in our city to do the same. My co-workers and I stuck together, and we won!”
Once the contract is ratified, the workers at Le Merigot Santa Monica will secure::
● Unprecedented wage increases that keep pace with the soaring cost of housing in Southern California
● Affordable, excellent family healthcare
● Humane workloads and safe staffing
● Improved pension increases so that workers can retire with dignity
● Numerous improvements, including historic Equal Justice language that, among other things, will provide access to union jobs for formerly incarcerated individuals and strong immigration protections.
Le Merigot Santa Monica, the Loews Hollywood, Biltmore Los Angeles, and the Westin Bonaventure have emerged as leaders in providing fair wages and benefits for its workers and superior service for guests. At the same time, the Le Meridien Delfina has been caught using unhoused migrants to break the strikes at their hotels.
“We value our staff tremendously, which this agreement reflects,” said Jessica Rincon, General Manager, Le Merigot Santa Monica. “And we are proud that we reached this agreement while maintaining a positive relationship with our employees. We look forward to providing the level of service that our discerning clientele expect.”
“We are pleased to announce our settlement at Le Merigot Marriott Santa Monica,” said Kurt Petersen, Co-President of UNITE HERE Local 11. “We have now won standard-setting contracts in Downtown LA, Hollywood, Orange County, and Santa Monica. There are no excuses for the rest. Workers deserve to share in the prosperity of the tourism industry.”
