Two Los Angeles City Council members were among about 200 people arrested at a large union rally in support of hospitality workers that forced a road closure near Los Angeles International Airport, officials confirmed Friday.
The rally by members of UNITE HERE Local 11 began around 3 p.m. Thursday on Century Boulevard, just east of the airport. The union, which recently voted to authorize the largest hotel strike in modern U.S. history amid stalling contract negotiations, had gathered in support of livable wages for workers.
The rally was permitted in advance, with the march approved to close the westbound side of the roadway between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. By about 5 p.m., however, the rally had spilled to both sides of the street, police said.
According to the LAPD, at about 3 p.m., officers "met with a large crowd of peaceful labor union protesters near the intersection of Century Boulevard and Sepulveda Boulevard." The officers issued a dispersal order, and approximately 200 peaceful protesters were arrested and charged with failure to disperse.
Among those arrested were city councilmembers Hugo Soto-Martinez and Nithya Raman.
“We were given orders to leave and not block the street, and many of us – all of us – decided to stay,” Soto-Martinez told KNX News. “We have a court date coming up in a couple months … I think we’ll have a collective [legal] strategy at that point.”
He added that this is the fourth time he’s been arrested in relation to labor movements.
In a statement, Soto-Martinez said, "People are being priced out of their homes and have to commute for hours to work. A single mother who works as a housekeeper has to work 17 hours a day to afford housing in this city. I'm proud to stand in solidarity with UNITE HERE Local 11 and tourism workers across the city because people who work in LA should be able to afford to live in LA."
On her Twitter page, Raman wrote, "Los Angeles should be a city that lifts people up, not turns workers away. Solidarity with @UNITEHERE11."
Earlier this month, members of UNITE HERE Local 11, which represents about 32,000 room attendants, cooks, dishwashers, front desk clerks, servers and food service workers, voted to authorize a strike against major hotel chains as they push for improved wages and working conditions.
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