Hundreds of cooks, room attendants, dishwashers, airport workers and allies packed the L.A. City Council chambers for the final vote on the modernization of the Living Wage Ordinance. The new law, dubbed the “Olympic Wage,” passed and is now the highest minimum wage in the United States. It will raise the wage of workers in airports and hotels in the city of Los Angeles to $30 by the 2028 Olympic and Paralympics. L.A. Mayor Karen Bass is expected to sign the law, and would go into effect July 1.
Tourism Workers Rising, composed of and others, advocated for this law since eight City Councilmembers signed on to its introduction on April 12, 2023. The significant victory marks the first concrete win for Los Angeles working families ahead of the 2028 Olympic & Paralympic Games, the group said. Passenger service workers at LAX will now begin bargaining with airport contractors to secure a strong contract that builds on the victory.
“Whether it’s the rising cost of groceries or coping with LA’s affordable housing crisis, essential workers like me find it increasingly difficult to make ends meet,” said Jovan Houston, customer service agent at LAX and SEIU-United Service Workers West (SEIU-USWW) executive board member. “That’s why, after more than two years of workers fighting to be paid a true living wage and receive quality affordable healthcare, today we and our families breathe a sigh of relief. LAX doesn’t work without essential Black and Brown workers like us, and it’s long past time greedy corporations compensate us properly for our labor.”
“Simply put, this policy will change the lives of the essential workers who make LAX function and will make mega-events like the World Cup, the Super Bowl and the Olympics possible. This fight was for a true living wage and access to quality affordable healthcare just as much as it was a fight for justice,” said David Huerta, president of SEIU-USWW. “Today, the L.A. City Council sent a loud message that L.A. will invest in workers so they and their families can live where they work, just like they’re investing in infrastructure ahead of welcoming millions of visitors.”
“Tourism workers and their vision to lift us all up have once again made history by passing the highest wage in the nation! This Olympic Wage is the first step in ensuring the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games benefit hard working families and not just corporate sponsors, bosses and billionaires,” said Kurt Petersen, co-president of UNITE HERE Local 11.
The Tourism Workers Rising coalition comprises SEIU-USWW, UNITE HERE Local 11, LAANE, CLUE and more than 130 additional supporting organizations.
For more information, visit www.laane.org.
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