The Los Angeles City Council gave final approval Friday to an ordinance that will increase the minimum wage for Los Angeles hotel and airport workers.
The proposal, which would bump minimum wage to $30 an hour by 2028, now heads to Mayor Bass' desk for approval. The council gave initial approval to the measure earlier this month on a 12-3 vote and voted 8-3 in support of the plan Friday.
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The vote authorized updates to the city's Living Wage and Hotel Workers Minimum Wage ordinances, which regulate the minimum wage for such workers. Hotel and airport employees would receive $22.50 an hour starting in July under the amendments, followed by an annual $2.50 increase over three years.
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SIGN UP Hoteliers and some business owners warned the plan will threaten an already unstable industry.
Workers are expected to earn $25 an hour beginning July 2026, $27.50 an hour in July 2027 and $30 an hour in July 2028, as well as receive a new $8.35 per hour healthcare payment, which will begin July 2026.
Council members introduced several amendments to address some concerns with the overall plan with Monica Rodriguez, Traci Park and John Lee dissenting, and members Katy Yaroslavsky, Nithya Raman, Adrin Nazarian and Imelda Padilla absent, City News Service reported.
The policy changes impact hotels with more than 60 rooms, and private companies at Los Angeles International Airport, like airlines and concessions. The city will also establish a public housekeeping training requirement, similar to policies in Santa Monica and West Hollywood.
The program will mandate no less than six hours of training for hotel workers. It would inform them of their rights and employer responsibilities, how to identify and respond to human trafficking, domestic violence or violent conduct, among other things.
Under existing regulations, hotel workers earn $20.32 per hour and airport employees earn $19.28 with a $5.95 per hour health care payment, totaling $25.23.
Hoteliers and airport concessionaires criticized the wage increase, saying it will raise labor costs and could force some businesses to shut down at a time when the tourism industry faces challenges.
