Writers Guild Members Join Union Boycott of Beverly Hills Hotels

Writers Guild Members Join Union Boycott of Beverly Hills Hotels

As someone who has witnessed the power of solidarity among workers in various industries, I am wholeheartedly in support of this joint effort by Hollywood writers and Unite Here Local 11 to uplift the voices and rights of hotel staff at the Cameo Beverly Hills by Hilton and the Beverly Hills Marriott.


Approximately forty scriptwriters from Hollywood have partaken in a strike-like action initiated by a hotel union, avoiding both The Cameo Beverly Hills by Hilton and the Beverly Hills Marriott

Creator of The Good Place, Mike Schur, along with writers Grant Sloss from Emily in Paris, Ian Maxtone-Graham from The Simpsons, Brittani Nichols of Abbott Elementary, co-showrunner Mike Royce from One Day at a Time, Angelina Burnett from Halt and Catch Fire, and Liz Alper from Two Sentence Horror Stories are among the writers who participated in a campaign initiated by Unite Here Local 11, a major Los Angeles-area hospitality union. This campaign, which took place over Labor Day weekend, also saw these writers choosing to boycott certain establishments

Last month, Union Unite Here Local 11 launched a campaign against two hotels operated by Remington Hospitality, following the expiration of Cameo’s union contract and the failure to reach an agreement with the employer. Previously known as Mr. C Beverly Hills, the Cameo is at the center of the dispute. In early August, the union also submitted a wage theft complaint to the California Labor Commission, claiming that housekeepers were required to perform work without pay before their shifts began and that employees were denied mandated rest breaks due to heavy workloads

Meanwhile, Unite Here Local 11 is striving to form a union at the Beverly Hills Marriott. They assert that hotel management has refused a proposal for a fair process, allowing workers to decide whether to unionize in an atmosphere of respect and without management meddling. Essentially, the union aims to persuade management to stay impartial during the unionization effort and acknowledge the group if a majority of employees sign union petitions voluntarily

“The union is advocating for a shift in ownership and administration of these luxurious hotels near Beverly Hills, aiming to show appreciation for their diligent staff, as indicated by a plea for a boycott.”

The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to Remington Hospitality for comment.

On different occasions, the Writers Guild of America and Unite Here Local 11 have stood together in solidarity during work conflicts. For instance, in 2023, the WGA West initiated a boycott on a hotel that functioned as the American Film Market’s headquarters amid their dispute. Earlier in the year, Unite Here Local 11 had backed the WGA strike and committed that its members would not pass writers’ picket lines at hotels used for filming purposes

As a devoted follower of the labor movement, I’d like to share that one of the most active players in this field, the Parent-led union known as UNITE HERE, embarked on a nationwide rolling strike over the Labor Day weekend, enlivening hotels across the country with their actions. In all, more than 10,000 members participated in this labor action, striking at various sites such as the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor, Hilton San Diego Bayfront, Hyatt Regency Greenwich, The Royal Hawaiian, and Westin Seattle

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2024-09-05 02:24