Hotel workers in the Hollywood and Pasadena area are currently on strike. Per the Los Angeles Times, “workers are picketing for higher wages and better benefits and working conditions.”
“Unite Here Local 11 says hotel employees are forced into long commutes because their pay hasn’t kept pace with soaring housing costs,” explains writer Helen Li.
There are other issues at play as well, says Li.
“Unite Here Local 11 has accused hotels such as the Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa in Dana Point and Fairfield Inn & Suites in El Segundo of failing to hire Black workers as full-time employees while bringing in Black workers as replacement labor,” Li details.
As with any strike, the departure of workers from their places of work has caused some major disruptions, as a recent series of videos from TikTok user @televisionofnomads shows.
The TikToker says that their sister’s wedding was disrupted by workers striking outside of the venue, the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel San Pedro.
@televisionofnomads We hoped they would be respectful but as it gets closer to the wedding @UNITE HERE! is sending even more strikers to bombard my sister’s wedding, and where is @HiltonByDoubleTree??? @UNITE HERE Local 11 #hotelstrike #losangeleshotelstrike #wedding #sanpedro #doubletreebyhilton #doubletreesanpedro ♬ original sound – Renny + Benny | Explorers
“We hoped they would be respectful but as it gets closer to the wedding @UNITE HERE! is sending even more strikers to bombard my sister’s wedding, and where is @HiltonByDoubleTree???” the TikToker asked in the caption.
The TikToker then posted a follow-up video showing the strike continuing as the wedding approached.
@televisionofnomads @HiltonByDoubleTree needs to explain what they’re doing to their employees to make them believe it’s acceptable to ruin an innocent person’s wedding. There are ethical ways to strike working conditions without dragging an innocent family into the crossfire. I wouldn’t wish this on any of the @UNITE HERE! families. As the wedding comes closer, @UNITE HERE Local 11 are taking strikers away from the lobby and deliberately sending them to the wedding to ruin it. My nieces are terrified, and on a day that should be happy and full of love, these strikers are out here making kids cry. This is not what unions are about. And Double Tree San Pedro hasn’t reached out AT ALL to remedy this. We’ve been calling repeatedly to make this right. My sister deserves compensation for this distress. #hotelstrike #losangeleshotelstrike #sanpedrohotelstrike #uniteherelocal11 #unitehere #doubletree #doubletreebyhilton ♬ original sound – Renny + Benny | Explorers
For context, the TikToker says throughout the comments and captions that they were not aware that a strike was happening and that the hotel did not inform them of such a strike.
They also claim that the hotel has refused to refund them for the events that took place.
@televisionofnomads Replying to @Isabel Lien @HiltonByDoubleTree needs to compensate my sister for this distress. I wouldnt wish this on anyone’s family @UNITE HERE! @UNITE HERE Local 11 #hotelstrike #losangeleshotelstrike #sanpedrohotelstrike #uniteherelocal11 #unitehere #doubletree #doubletreebyhilton #wedding #sanpedro #doubletreesanpedro ♬ original sound – Renny + Benny | Explorers
Disruptions continued even as the wedding was moved inside. The TikToker notes that this did little to solve the problem.
“It was hard to hear the ceremony with the strikers banging their signs on the window and throwing water bottles, and Double Tree management did not provide a working microphone,” they wrote.
In the caption of a later video, the TikToker says the family went through with the wedding because they learned of the strike too late to make any arrangements to move it.
“We heard about the @HiltonByDoubleTree strike an hour before we arrived and the wedding was already paid in full,” the TikToker explained. “My family cant afford to sacrifice that money. if you could afford it, you are very blessed.”
Users in the comments were originally divided by the events of the video, with some initially turning against the TikToker.
“Don’t cross picket lines,” read one highly-favorited comment.
“Everyone is pro worker and pro anti corporate until it inconveniences them. then it flips,” stated another.
“Unfortunately strikes are [meant] to be disruptive by nature,” detailed a third. “Hopefully Hilton is a embarrased and makes it right for both parties!”
However, the mood soon turned against the hotel, with many saying that they should have informed the couple about the strike prior to their arrival and offered them compensation after the fact.
“Blame the hotel not the strikers!” exclaimed a commenter.
“Am so sorry this is happening to your sister,” shared a second. “the HOTEL should take accountability!!!”
“Nah if this were my wedding, I’d be PISSED at the hotel. Not the workers,” explained an additional commenter. “Demand a refund from the hotel.”
“All these comments attacking the striking workers as if the billion dollar hotel chain couldn’t have fixed this by paying people ages ago. Lick boots,” declared a further user.
The Daily Dot reached out to the TikToker and to Hilton via email.
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Source: https://www.dailydot.com/news/wedding-doubletree-by-hilton-strike/
