State laws, such as California’s, that are more protective of workers are not preempted.ĭenis Martinez felt particularly conflicted: He plans to attend Anime Expo but also works as a server at an IHG hotel in Charlotte, N.C. Pregnant and postpartum workers now have access to ‘reasonable accommodations’ after the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act went into effect on June 27. The JW Marriott Downtown LA near the Convention Center also has an expiring contract.Ĭalifornia Pregnant workers have new federal protections. Hotel Indigo is one of the inns with union contracts, according to Unite Here Local 11. “We used to not stay at a hotel because we would go from my buddy’s house in Long Beach and just go to the con every day, but now we’re getting a hotel because it’s a convenience factor,” Montes said. He has attended Anime Expo since 2018 but began staying at a hotel only last year. The blocks opened at noon one day in a “rat race” style, with discounted rates, as Montes scrambled to get his $1,700 rate for five nights. Montes booked a room with two beds and a couch at Hotel Indigo with three of his friends in January, when Anime Expo opened the hotel-room allocation system. The Japanese pop culture expo attracts about 100,000 people from around the world. They’re kind of out of luck,” Montes said. “You have a lot of people that will come in internationally, who don’t have like a house 45 minutes away to go to. Montes and friends may have to stay at someone’s house and commute, he said, but he is grateful that he has an option close by. The norms around whom, and how much, Americans tip have shifted in recent years - and consumers are increasingly confused. of Los Angeles has said a strike would hurt the workers by harming the city’s tourism appeal while the industry is getting back on its feet after pandemic shutdowns.īusiness ‘Do y’all think tipping culture has gotten out of control?’ Inside our evolving tipping dilemma Others debated what it meant to cross the picket line. Reddit users had many thoughts, including anger at the union for disrupting an expensive and cherished tradition, anger at hotel owners for not giving raises, and anger at one another for attacking the union organizer. Unite Here Local 11 also has reached out to Anime Expo attendees, as well as other groups, with a targeted anime-style advertisement featuring a pink-haired worker carrying a sign reading: “Anime is cool! Disrespecting workers is not!” On Reddit, a union organizer with hotel workers’ Unite Here Local 11 kicked off the Ask-Me-Anything discussion by asking, “Did you know hotel workers at many of the properties you might be staying at for AX, such as the JW Marriott Downtown LA, Westin Bonaventure, Downtown Los Angeles Courtyard, Residence Inn Downtown LA, the Ritz Carlton and more, might be on strike?ĪnimeJustice11 wrapped up with a plea: “I hope most/all of you will stand in solidarity with the potential striking workers and don’t cross picket lines!” The poster also asked those planning to attend Anime Expo to “contact the management and ask if they would negotiate a new contract that meets what workers are asking for.” The two passionate interest groups met up virtually in recent days, and the results weren’t pretty. Many have spent months hoarding vacation days and cash to trek to Southern California and commune with like-minded people. Meanwhile, thousands of fans of Japanese pop culture will gather Saturday for the start of Anime Expo, a four-day convocation of people interested in manga art, cosplay and video games with exhibitions and panels at the Los Angeles Convention Center and nearby hotels. The deal is the first among many that would be needed to avert the planned strike. On Thursday, the largest hotel, the Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites, announced it had reached a tentative deal with the union representing its more than 600 employees. They are seeking higher pay, which might allow them to live in more expensive areas closer to their jobs, as well as improved benefits and working conditions. More than 15,000 union employees at 61 hotel sites in Los Angeles and Orange counties are scheduled to walk off the job as early as Saturday after their contracts expire. Sixty-one contracts between workers represented by Unite Here Local 11 and Southern California hotel sites expired Friday at midnight. JAn earlier version of this story said employees at 62 hotels in Los Angeles and Orange counties were scheduled to walk off the job as early as Saturday after their contracts expire.
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