In today’s news and commentary, as General Motors strike expands, Los Angeles hotel workers strike to reach agreement with third hotel, United Auto Workers union secures nonunion autoworkers future We praise them as a union family.
A striking Pasadena hotel union has reached a tentative agreement with Loews Hollywood, making it the third hotel to reach an agreement after a four-month work stoppage. This state-of-the-art hotel employs 300 members of UNITE HERE Local 11. Both Lowe’s representatives and union leadership celebrated the tentative agreement. Local 11 President Kurt Petersen called on other industries to follow suit and share the prosperity with workers. This victory for Local 11 members comes just days after reports that hotels are hiring unhoused immigrant workers to replace striking employees.
The United Auto Workers union expanded its strike efforts Tuesday to General Motors’ largest U.S. plant, just one day after striking at the Stellantis RAM truck plant. The move expands on the union’s strategy of striking the largest and most profitable factories of all major automakers. GM’s 23% wage increase over the next four years is still a far cry from the union’s original plan for a 40% raise for members.
UAW Chairman Sean Fein suggested these talks with the three major automakers are the first step toward a broader effort to organize workers at U.S. auto plants, including Tesla, Toyota and Honda. Executives at the three major automakers have suggested that higher wages for their workers would put them at a competitive disadvantage with non-union automakers. But Fein insists that “nonunion autoworkers are not the enemy.” They are our future union family. ”