The Los Angeles City Council Wednesday preliminarily approved an increase in the minimum wage for hotel and airport workers -- reaching $30 an hour by 2028 -- a plan hoteliers and some business owners warned will threaten an already unstable industry facing challenges due to declining visitors and federal policies.
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In a 12-3 vote, council members authorized updates to the city's Living Wage and Hotel Workers Minimum Wage ordinances, which regulate the minimum wage for such workers. Under the changes, hotel and airport employees would receive $22.50 an hour starting July, followed by an annual $2.50 increase over three years.
The three 'no' votes came from council members Monica Rodriguez, Traci Park, and John Lee. All three had concerns about the cost this would impose on hotels at a time when Los Angeles is facing many headwinds regarding tourism and tax dollars.
Because this vote was not unanimous, it will return to the council on May 23. This is a procedural move, but it will require just eight votes for it to become L.A.'s newest local law.
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