Holiday Inn LAX Workers Protest Ahead of Thanksgiving Holiday

Employees at the Holiday Inn Los Angeles International Airport location are protesting what they claim are unsafe working conditions, and violations of the LA living-wage ordinance.

The protest started before sunrise Monday, 20 minutes earlier than it was scheduled to begin at the hotel in Westchester.

"Minimum wage, I think it supposed to be met no matter what. It's what we want. Only what the law asks," said Raul Macias, a bartender at Holiday Inn.
 
"I've been working here for 13 years. And since this company came everything was awful. This company, they don't care about their employees, they don't listen. They just care about money," said Susana Garcia, another Holiday Inn employee.
 
On Friday, the group filed a complaint with Cal-OSHA, alleging a worker got sick after being exposed to pesticides used to treat bed bugs.
 
"He was sent in to clean 15 rooms that were treated with serious pesticides to treat bed bugs. He suffered a severe allergic reaction," said Leigh Shelton, a union organizer supporting the Holiday Inn workers.
 
Last month, they filed a lawsuit seeking millions in unpaid wages, and staged a one-day strike. Some employees have been fired.
 
"They got a new cashier in there and they already promoted her to supervisor. I've been here 17 years and you haven't promoted me as doing anything," says Anita Perkins.

In response to all of this, hotel management issued a statement: "The hotel believes its workers are treated fairly and the hotel complies with all laws relating to employment and health and safety. Public statements made about unsanitary conditions at the hotel are entirely false."

Contact Us