Being priced out of LA comes with its own cost
In Los Angeles, thousands of hotel workers represented by the union Unite Here Local 11 remain on strike. The union is demanding higher wages and increased health care coverage; it’s also asking for an unusual hospitality workforce housing fund to help support workers amid high housing prices.
“The fight in some has always been about, you know, ‘Who’s going to live in Los Angeles? Is it going to be the few and the wealthy? Or is it going to be those who work to make the city prosperous?’ And that’s the fight honestly, with actors, writers, it doesn’t matter who — this is the fight we all have,” said the union’s co-president, Kurt Petersen.
With sky-high rents, many residents are being priced out of the city. Brenda Mendoza, who works as a uniform attendant at the JW Marriott Hotel in downtown LA, is a born and raised Angeleno. But last year, she decided to move nearly 100 miles out of the city to Apple Valley, California, in order to purchase her home. She’s on strike fighting for more pay.
Mendoza now faces a brutal early morning commute. The long, regular drive in and out of LA is a challenge for Mendoza and her family. “But, you know, we make those sacrifices for our family, to have something, you know, for the future,” Mendoza said.
This is a story about the affordable housing crisis, but it’s also about pay. Hispanics or Latinos make up nearly 25% of the leisure and hospitality sector. But Latinas face a major wage gap – data show Latinas can miss out on up to roughly $1.2 million throughout their careers.
To hear more about Mendoza’s story and her push for higher wages, click the audio player above.
Stories You Might Like
There’s a lot happening in the world. Through it all, Marketplace is here for you.
You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible.
Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.
