Pasadena hotel workers strike for better wages, staffing amid Rose Parade

Hotel workers at two Pasadena hotels went on strike Sunday, picketing for better wages and increased staffing as preparations were underway for the Rose Parade on New Year’s Day. Members of Unite Here Local 11, which represents a range of hotel workers including housekeepers and cooks, walked out at dawn Sunday and will continue to strike Monday at the Hilton Pasadena and the Hyatt Place Pasadena, said union spokesperson Maria Teresa Kamel. As of Sunday morning, dozens of people were picketing outside the two hotels, chanting 'Si se puede!' — 'Yes we can' — and tents were set up for some protesters planning to camp overnight. The union chose this weekend for the walkout because 'it’s probably the biggest tourist event in Pasadena,' she said. Workers decided that 'if they’re expected to work on such a busy weekend, they should be compensated with a fair contract.' Unite Here is calling for an immediate $5-an-hour hike in wages and for a return to 'pre-pandemic staffing levels,' which have not rebounded despite a resurgence in hotel business, Kamel said. 'We have a lot of workers doing the work of two or three people for the same wages as they were getting before,' she said. The union has also raised concerns about pensions. The Hilton Pasadena is among several hotels involved in talks with the union that are operated by Aimbridge Hospitality, which said in a statement that it was 'continuing conversations with the union and remain[s] focused on reaching an agreement that puts our associates and their best interests at the center.' 'While these conversations are ongoing, the hotel has processes in place to limit disruptions and ensure consistent service and exceptional guest experiences at all times,' Aimbridge said in its statement. Hyatt Place Pasadena is owned and operated by private equity firm Ensemble. Hyatt and Ensemble did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment Sunday on the walkout and the union demands. Joseph Co, general manager at Hyatt Place Pasadena, told the Pasadena Star-News that the hotel has been 'actively engaged in talks with the union' and 'continues to honor the expired union contract and its union employees as it seeks to reach a new agreement.' A representative for the Hotel Assn. of Los Angeles declined to comment. Housekeeper Andrea Zepeda, who has worked more than a year and a half at Hyatt Place Pasadena, said she had struggled to make ends meet on roughly $18 an hour. She cares for two of her grandchildren and pays $1,800 in rent for a one-bedroom apartment, she said. 'The money doesn’t go far enough,' she said in Spanish. 'Everything is very expensive — food, bills — and the costs are going up.' Zepeda also said that skimpy staffing had piled on pressure at her job to clean as many as 15 rooms before the end of her shift without being offered overtime. Pasadena hotels fill up each year for the Rose Parade, which began in 1890 as a promotional event by a local social club and has evolved into a beloved tradition. Hundreds of campers flock the day before to find curbside seating available on a first-come, first-served basis along the parade route. Those working on floats or participating in the parade look for breakfast spots in the wee hours of the morning on Jan. 1. While workers don’t plan to picket at the Rose Bowl itself, the proximity of the hotels means picket lines will likely be noticeable to parade attendees, union officials said. Dozens of other hotels have reached tentative agreements with Unite Here Local 11 since their contracts expired in July, but these two have not, Kamel said. 'Our beef isn’t with the Rose Bowl,' she said. But 'private equity groups have been harder to negotiate with than other hotels.' Times staff writer Suhauna Hussain contributed to this report.