L.A. City Council postpones vote on wage hike for hotel and airport workers over tourism concerns

The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday postponed a vote on a major boost to wages for hotel and airport workers, voicing concerns that the pay hike could damage the city's tourism industry. The council's decision to put off the vote until Dec. 11 came as hotel owners were threatening to pull out of a deal to provide tens of thousands of rooms during the 2028 Olympic Games if the pay increase is approved, saying it would decimate their bottom line. The council had been scheduled to vote Wednesday on whether to finalize changes to an existing city ordinance that would raise the minimum hourly wage for workers at large hotels and Los Angeles International Airport from the current $20.32 to $25 on Feb. 1. The minimum pay would then climb incrementally each year to reach $30 an hour by July 1, 2028, as the Olympics are set to open. During a heated discussion of the proposed wage boosts, several council members questioned whether an analysis of the economic impact of the wage hike that was commissioned by the city had been thorough enough.<br/>