September 18, 2017
Anti-Business Proposal Threatens Long Beach's Local Economy
Tomorrow, the Long Beach City Council will consider language for a proposed hotel ordinance that imposes major work rules, creates burdensome regulations, and increases costs to our major hotel partners operating a 100 rooms or more.
Similar to Measure N (passed by voters in 2012), the language on the agenda tomorrow night allows for a union carve-out. This means labor and management could enter into a collective bargaining agreement and negotiating less onerous regulations and work rules. However, that would require the hotel to unionize which is ultimately the underlying issue that proponents crave and want included in a proposed ordinance.
Under the guise of a potential safety ordinance, the true purpose of this agenda item is to increase union dues and membership through costly public policy directed at our hotel industry. Some of the language included in the agenda item is already being done by our hotels and is unnecessary. Long Beach hotels work extremely hard to ensure a safe working environment for their employees. In fact, through the Chamber's Long Beach Hospitality Council, over 600 hotel employees have attended various training programs from sexual assault and CPR/first aid to self-defense and active-shooter situations.
Furthermore, the proposed ordinance would place significant, unnecessary burdens on hotel customers and employees - forcing hotels to choose between protecting their guests or protecting their employees when the industry must do both. At the end of it all, this language, if turned into a local ordinance, is just bad public policy with multiple negative ramifications to our hotel industry. An industry that has seen consistent contributions to Long Beach's local economy. Now those contributions are in jeopardy of being hijacked over politics.
Help us protect this thriving industry by joining us tomorrow night at the council chambers and showing your opposition to this item.
Can't join us? Please consider contacting the Mayor and your councilmember by clicking here.
For more information on the proposed ordinance see these local media articles:
For information on the city council meeting and the agenda item for tomorrow please click here.
We appreciate your contribution to this important effort, and should you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.
...and that's Strictly Business.
