HOTEL WORKER RISING

The tourism industry is one of the most important arenas in which low-wage, primarily immigrant workers are struggling to hold multinational corporations accountable for the just allocation of their profits.

Since its inception, CLUE-CA has been working simultaneously in the Bay Area (San Francisco, Emeryville, San Jose) and Southern California (Los Angeles, San Diego and Orange County) to join workers in their efforts to pass worker-friendly public policy and ensure its implementation as well as gaining a voice through union representation and living wages, health benefits and improved working conditions through good management-labor contracts.

Lifting up the dignity and basic human rights of hotel workers, CLUE-CA anchors and affiliates contributed prophetic advocacy and strategic outreach to a comprehensive labor and community support campaign. Motivated by our compassion and intimate solidarity with workers, CLUE-CA provided prayer, justice-focused worship and pastoral ministry to boost this titanic justice struggle. Victories include

• Woodfin Suites Hotel in Emeryville. - pressure from religious leaders insured that a local living wage law was implemented for immigrant hotel workers
  
• Employer Neutrality and Good Contracts at San Francisco and Los Angeles Hotels
  
• LAX Living Wage Law: After an outpouring of support from religious leaders community leaders and workers, Los Angeles City Council members passed a historic living wage law in the Fall of 2006, requiring tourism industry corporations to meet a fair standard for wages and benefits - for the purpose of both economic justice and community improvement. After a victorious yearlong court battle, the law is now ready to be implemented.