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Los Angeles Unions Prepare Olympic Strategy, Drawing Inspiration from Paris Games
As Los Angeles prepares to host the 2028 Olympics, local unions are strategically positioning themselves to leverage the international spotlight for improved working conditions, taking cues from their counterparts in Paris who staged high-profile labor actions during the 2024 Games.
In a coordinated effort that could significantly impact the upcoming Summer Olympics, Unite Here Local 11 has aligned approximately 100 contracts covering roughly 25,000 workers at hotels, airports, sports arenas, and convention centers to expire in January 2028—just months before the opening ceremony.
“We are going to have a force of working people to do whatever it takes, including striking if we have to during the Olympics in 2028,” said Kurt Petersen, co-President of Unite Here Local 11. “The Olympics can’t happen without the workers.”
The strategy isn’t limited to hospitality workers. United Food and Commercial Workers Local 770, representing health care, grocery, and packing industry employees, and Service Employees International Union Local 721, which represents more than 100,000 county employees, are similarly planning to leverage contracts expiring in the first half of 2028.
This approach mirrors successful tactics employed during the Paris Olympics, where hotel workers initiated strikes just one day before the opening ceremonies, threatening the event’s operations. French workers staged demonstrations at five-star accommodations housing International Olympic Committee members, demanding better compensation and working conditions.
Jules Boykoff, a professor at Pacific University who studies the economic impact of major sporting events, described the Olympics as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” for organized labor. “These sports mega events help us see with greater clarity people who’ve been there working all along, who actually are essential workers,” Boykoff explained.
Beyond wage negotiations, a coalition of labor groups, community organizations, and religious institutions is pushing for broader commitments from the LA28 organizing committee and city officials. Their demands include funding for 50,000 new housing units, implementing a moratorium on short-term rentals, and establishing protections for immigrant workers.
The city has already approved a minimum wage increase to $30 per hour by July 2028 for workers at hotels with 60 or more rooms, up from the current $22.50. The increase will be phased in gradually over the coming years.
Business groups have pushed back against these labor initiatives, arguing that wage increases will harm the city’s tourism industry, which has yet to fully recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Some opponents are working to delay the wage hike until after the Games conclude.
The economic stakes are significant. While most Olympics-related economic benefits tend to be short-lived, according to Robert Baumann, a professor at College of the Holy Cross, the Games still represent a powerful bargaining chip for workers.
Recent Olympic history demonstrates the effectiveness of this strategy. During preparations for the 2016 Rio Olympics, more than 2,000 construction workers went on strike at venue sites two years before the event, successfully negotiating higher pay and improved benefits. Similarly, French transportation workers secured earlier retirement with full pension and doubled pay during the Paris Games.
Local unions in Los Angeles are also collecting signatures for several ballot measures, including one that would penalize corporations whose CEOs earn more than 100 times their median employee’s salary. Another proposal would require public votes on major event and hotel developments, while a third would extend the $30 minimum wage to all workers across sectors.
In response, business groups have launched their own initiative, targeting the city’s gross receipts tax. This tax on businesses’ total revenue before operating costs generates over $700 million annually for Los Angeles’ general fund, supporting essential services like police, firefighters, and homeless assistance programs.
“Businesses continue to get hammered in this city,” said Stuart Waldman, president of the Valley Industry and Commerce Association, one of the organizations gathering signatures to repeal the tax.
For workers like Thelma Cortez, a cook for airline catering company Flying Food Group, the stakes are deeply personal. Cortez’s entire primary paycheck now goes toward housing her family of four, forcing her to work overtime and side jobs to make ends meet.
Initially excited about the Olympics coming to Los Angeles, Cortez now sees the event as an opportunity for meaningful economic change. “I thought that, ‘Well there will be more work, and maybe all airport and hotel workers can earn a little more,'” she said.
As 2028 approaches, the stage is set for a significant showdown between labor and business interests, with the Olympic spotlight amplifying both the urgency and impact of these negotiations.
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16 Comments
This is an interesting strategy by the LA unions to leverage the high-profile Olympics to push for better working conditions. It’s a bold move, but the unions seem determined to use their power to get concessions from employers during this major event.
I agree, the unions are clearly taking a page from their counterparts in Paris who staged labor actions during the 2024 Olympics. It will be fascinating to see how this plays out in LA in 2028.
The unions’ strategy of coordinating contract expirations right before the Olympics is a clever tactic. It puts them in a powerful negotiating position. However, the city and Olympics organizers may push back hard to avoid any labor unrest during the games.
That’s a good point. There will likely be a tug-of-war between the unions and the city/organizers. It could get contentious, but the unions seem determined to make the most of this opportunity.
This is a high-stakes gamble by the LA unions, but they clearly believe they have significant leverage with the Olympics looming. It will be interesting to see if they can extract major concessions from employers or if the city and organizers will find ways to mitigate the labor disruptions.
Exactly. The unions are playing hardball, but the city and Olympics committee will undoubtedly fight back to protect the games. It could be a messy showdown, but the unions seem willing to take the risk for significant gains.
It’s encouraging to see the unions taking such a proactive approach to leverage the high-profile Olympics for worker gains. Their willingness to strike if necessary shows they’re serious about making the most of this opportunity.
Absolutely. The unions are clearly going all-in on this strategy. It will be fascinating to follow the negotiations and see how much they’re able to extract from the city and Olympics organizers in the lead-up to 2028.
This is a smart move by the LA unions. The Olympics provide a rare opportunity to gain significant concessions from employers. While it’s a high-risk strategy, the potential rewards could be transformative for the workers.
Absolutely. The unions are clearly willing to take a strong stance, even if it means potential disruptions during the games. It will be fascinating to see how the negotiations unfold over the next few years.
The unions’ strategy is bold and ambitious, but it’s a risky move that could backfire if the city and Olympics organizers refuse to budge. The workers may end up with less than they hoped for if the negotiations get too adversarial.
That’s a fair point. The unions are taking a big gamble, and there’s no guarantee they’ll achieve all their goals. It will be crucial for both sides to find ways to compromise and reach a mutually agreeable solution.
While the unions’ strategy is bold, I hope they can find a way to work collaboratively with the city and Olympics organizers. Disruptive strikes during the games could damage LA’s reputation and hurt the local economy. Constructive negotiations seem preferable for all parties.
That’s a fair point. A cooperative approach may yield better long-term results for the workers than an adversarial confrontation. Both sides will need to be willing to compromise to reach an agreement that works for everyone.
The unions are right that the Olympics can’t happen without the workers. It will be a high-stakes negotiation, but the unions seem prepared to take strong action if needed. I wonder if the city and Olympics organizers are anticipating these labor challenges.
Good point. The city and Olympics committee will likely try to preempt any major disruptions, but the unions seem intent on making the most of this leverage. It could get messy if an agreement can’t be reached.