The Japanese American Citizens League has announced that it will be switching the location of its 2023 convention to support the hotel workers’ strike. The announcement came a day before workers went back to work on Saturday, July 15.
The convention was originally scheduled to be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Los Angeles Downtown. JACL says it will now take place at other locations in the Little Tokyo neighborhood.
According to NBC News, sixty hotel contracts in the Los Angeles area affecting 15,000 hotel workers expired on June 30. The contracts were held with Unite Here Local 11, a union representing over 32,000 workers employed in hotels, restaurants, airports, sports arenas, and convention centers.
Workers under union protection are now on strike. They say their current wages and benefits make it difficult to live near the hotels where they work, where cost of living is high.
According to ABC 7, workers returned to their jobs on July 15 with talks to resume between the union and hotel executives on Tuesday, July 18. The union also warned that more strikes could happen at any time.
The Japanese American Citizens League convention is set to begin on July 19. AsAmNews could not contact JACL in time to confirm whether a pause in the strikes will impact their decision to switch locations from the Doubletree. For now, JACL leaders have apologized for the inconvenience as they continue to find new locations for the convention.
“We recognize the inconvenience this is creating for our attendees, sponsors, and speakers, but we believe this is important and necessary to support those fighting for living wages. We hope for a swift resolution to the contract negotiations for the benefit of all parties involved,” JACL Executive Director, David Inoue said in a July 14 press release.
AsAmNews is published by the non-profit, Asian American Media Inc.
We are supported through donations and such charitable organizations as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. All donations are tax deductible and can be made here.
Please follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube and X.