HOTELS' LIVING WAGE IS PUSHED CITY EYES PAY AT SITES NEAR LAX.Byline: RICK ORLOV Staff Writer A coalition of labor, political and religious leaders urged the Los Angeles City Council  The Los Angeles City Council is the governing body of the City of Los Angeles, California, United States. on Friday to approve a plan requiring a cluster of
Century Boulevard hotels to pay higher wages to 3,500 workers.
``The sky will not fall,'' said Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg Jackie Goldberg (born June 16, 1937) is an American politician and teacher, and a member of the Democratic Party. She is a former member of the California State Assembly. , D-Los Angeles. ``We heard all sorts of dire predictions about this 10 years ago and none of them came true.'' The City Council is scheduled Wednesday to consider the proposal by Councilwoman Janice Hahn Janice Hahn is a member of the Los Angeles City Council representing the 15th district. Hahn was elected in 2001 and reelected in 2005, running unopposed. The 15th District encompasses the Los Angeles communities of Watts, Wilmington, Harbor Gateway, Harbor City, Athens on the that would require the hotels near Los Angeles International Airport “LAX” redirects here. For other uses, see LAX (disambiguation). “KLAX” redirects here. For other uses, see KLAX (disambiguation). Los Angeles International Airport (IATA: LAX, ICAO: KLAX, FAA LID: LAX to pay a minimum of $9.08 an hour with health benefits, or $10.33 an hour without health benefits. The plan also would ensure employees are given their full pay, including tips collected from service charges. But the proposal has drawn strong opposition from the business community, which questions the power of the council to link the LAX development to the operation of the hotels. Business leaders also are threatening to circulate petitions to call a referendum so voters can decide the issue. But Goldberg, who served on the City Council and authored the original living-wage ordinance adopted in 1997 involving city contractors at LAX, said the council should have included the hotels in the original proposal. ``We had a mayor at the time who opposed it and the council wasn't bold enough to stand up to the business community,'' Goldberg said. Former Mayor Richard Riordan Richard J. Riordan (born May 1, 1930) is a Republican politician from California, U.S. who served as the California Secretary of Education from 2003–2005 and as Mayor of Los Angeles from 1993–2001. Riordan ran for Governor of California unsuccessfully in 2002. signed the program into law once it became clear the council would override his veto. ``It is clear to us that these hotels wouldn't be there if it wasn't for LAX,'' said Warren Furutani, a member of the Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. Community College Board of Trustees board of trustees Politics The posse of thugs who oversee an institution's administration. See Board of directors. . ``There is nothing else along Century Boulevard that would bring people to that area other than how close it is to LAX.'' Supporters of the living-wage plan said they also support the public debate and a possible referendum on the issue. rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com (213) 978-0390 |
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