July 18, 2023 -- Two weeks after the hotel workers union staged its first wave of strikes, which included walkouts at five Santa Monica hotels, negotiations remain deadlocked.

The Coordinated Bargaining Group (CBG) representing more than 44 Los Angeles and Orange County-area Hotels, reported that UNITE HERE Local 11 rejected their latest offer on Tuesday.

The bargaining group said it offered to increase the hourly wage by $2 per hour immediately after ratification and another $1 per hour on July 1, 2024.

That is an increase from the $2.50 the first year and $6.25 over 4 years but far short of the $5 an hour raise the union is seeking, with an additional $3 an hour in subsequent years of the contract.

“We made an improved wage offer today but Local 11 summarily rejected it,” said Keith Grossman, the group's spokesperson. “The Union made no counteroffer.”

“We are extremely disappointed that Local 11 refuses to bargain in good faith,” Grossman said. “Local 11 continues to signal that it is more interested in its political agenda than negotiating to reach an agreement.

Union representatives did not respond to a request for comment by deadline.

UNITE HERE Local 11 posted a press release on its website Saturday, as
workers at 12 hotels in Los Angeles and Orange County returned to work from a second wave of strikes.

The latest strikes followed walkouts at 21 regional hotels over the Independence Day weekend.

Union officials said Saturday that "more strikes and other...