Some L.A. Unionized Hotel Workers Realize They’ve Been Screwed Over
11th April 2016
California’s upcoming, poorly thought out (beyond the political gains) massive minimum wage boost to $15 per hour does not grant unions an exemption. They will not be permitted to “collectively bargain” away the price floor in exchange for other benefits, just like businesses who are not unionized.
Hey, nobody claimed that these people were the sharpest knives in the drawer.
While most folks may assume that this has always been the case, in reality, cities and municipalities that have set their own minimum wages and other employment mandates have included exemptions for unions. Many people aren’t aware of it, and it may seem odd on the surface, given that the unions themselves are pushing for the increases.
This is what happened in Los Angeles when the city mandated a special minimum wage of $15.37 that applied only to hotel workers. It included an exemption for workers represented by unions, which essentially meant this minimum wage was really a fine for not being unionized. Over the weekend, the Los Angeles Times took note that there are union workers that feel betrayed by these agreements and realize exactly what they’re for—to help unions expand their power and membership, not to actually help workers.