UNITE HERE Local 11, representing more than 32,000 US hospitality workers in Southern California and Arizona, has called for a boycott of Aimbridge Hospitality.
Aimbridge Hospitality is the largest third-party hotel operator in the world with more than 1500 hotels globally.
The union intends to boycott the company until it agrees to sign a fair contract at its union properties in Southern California.
The boycott announcement comes as 29 hotels across Los Angeles and Orange County have reached tentative labour agreements with their workers.
Dubbed “Shamebridge” by its employees, Aimbridge has been embroiled in controversy since the beginning of the Southern California hotel strike.
In October 2023, housekeepers at the San Pedro DoubleTree filed a class-action lawsuit against a subsidiary of the operator alleging violations of panic buttons and other worker safety provisions of the Los Angeles Hotel Worker Protection Ordinance.
The union has also filed federal unfair labour practice charges against Aimbridge at two hotel properties, alleging that managers unlawfully interfered with the rights of employees to engage in union or other protected activity. The charges are pending investigation by the National Labor Relations Board.
Additionally, UNITE HERE Local 11 have sent letters to the Los Angeles Police Commission to inform it of allegations of worker rights abuses at two hotels operated by Aimbridge Hospitality: Holiday Inn LAX and the San Pedro DoubleTree.
Tourists have been asked to choose alternatives for any travel and events at the following properties: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Los Angeles Downtown, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel San Pedro - Port of Los Angeles, Courtyard by Marriott Santa Monica, Hampton Inn & Suites Santa Monica, Hilton Pasadena, Hyatt Regency LAX, Holiday Inn Los Angeles - LAX Airport, Sheraton Park Hotel Anaheim, Blackstone-owned Aloft El Segundo, and Blackstone-owned Fairfield El Segundo.
Aimbridge Hospitality has reportedly failed to meet the hotel contract standard, leading to what have become protracted labour disputes at the listed properties.
