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LOS ANGELES, July 2 (Reuters) - Thousands of Los Angeles-area hotel workers went on strike on Sunday demanding pay hikes and improved benefits in a region where high housing costs make it difficult for low-wage earners to live close to where they hold jobs, union officials said. Unite Here Local 11, which represents 15,000 workers at more than 60 major hotels in Los Angeles and Orange counties, declared the strike a day after the workers' contract expired. [1/4]People protest in front of Hotel Indigo as unionized hotel workers in Los Angeles and Orange County go on strike, in Los Angeles, California, U.S. July 2, 2023. Los Angeles has been a flashpoint for labor strife on several fronts this year, including the protracted writers strike and a three-day walkout in March by education support staff for the Los Angeles Unified School District. Reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles and Gabriella Borter in New York; Editing by Mary Milliken and Josie KaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kurt Petersen, Maria Hernandez, David Swanson, Hernandez, Steve Gorman, Gabriella Borter, Mary Milliken, Josie Kao Organizations: Southern, Hollywood, InterContinental, Hotel, Millennium Biltmore, JW Marriott, Fairmont, Sheraton Universal, Universal, REUTERS, Westin Bonaventure Hotel, Coordinated, Westin Bonaventure, Los Angeles City News Service, Los Angeles Unified School District, Thomson Locations: ANGELES, Los Angeles, Orange, Fairmont Miramar, Santa Monica, Universal City, Laguna Cliffs, Dana Point, Indigo, Orange County, Los Angeles , California, U.S, L.A, Beverly Hills, Long Beach, West, New York

☆ Los Angeles Hotel Workers Go on Strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-02 | by ( Jill Cowan | Kurtis Lee | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Dockworkers disrupted operations for weeks at the colossal ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach until they reached a tentative deal in June. “I think people are understanding those issues in a much more palpable way.”The hotel workers’ strike comes just as the summer tourism season ramps up, and labor leaders say they are hoping to capitalize on that momentum. Last year, tourism in the city reached its highest levels since the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board. But for many workers like Diana Rios-Sanchez, who works as a housekeeping supervisor at the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown, the pay has not helped to keep up with inflation. On Thursday, the Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites, a large hotel in downtown Los Angeles, announced that it had staved off a walkout of its workers with a contract deal.

Persons: Hugo Soto, Martinez, ”, “, Diana Rios, Sanchez, Ms, Rios, Grossman, Petersen, Anna Betts Organizations: Workers, Los Angeles City Council, Los Angeles Tourism, InterContinental, Downtown, housekeepers, Westin Bonaventure Hotel, Hotel Association of Los Locations: Southern California, Los Angeles, Long, Hollywood, InterContinental Los, El Sereno, California, Beverly Hills, Hotel Association of Los Angeles

☆ Americans are tipping less often than ever. Nearly 1 in 3 say tipping culture is 'out of control.'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Aaron Mcdade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Americans say they are tipping workers less often over the last 3 years. A new survey from Bankrate shows that people are getting increasingly frustrated with tipping. Among the 2,400 people who took part in a new survey from Bankrate, two-thirds said they have at least one negative opinion of tipping, with 30% saying they believe tipping culture has gotten "out of control" in recent years. "Few topics elicit as many passionate opinions as tipping," Bankrate senior industry analyst Ted Rossman said in a post about the survey. Only half of the 2,400 people said they always tip food delivery people, along with 40% that always tip taxi, Lyft, or Uber drivers.

Persons: Zers, —, Ted Rossman, Gen Zers, McDonald's Organizations: Service, Baltimore Apple, Walmart Locations: Bankrate, Colorado

☆ International tipping: How to cut through the chaos and confusion
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Forrest Brown | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

In the United States, “tipping is very customary. Leighton also said you won’t find a tipping culture on the island of Taiwan. Robinson said the tipping culture is less pervasive in Sicily than the United States and even more laid-back than in Rome. As for tipping culture in the US vs. the UK, Ryan Burditt said, it’s “really opposites to me. Robert Knopes/Education Images/Universal Images Group/Getty ImagesVisitors to the United States could be in for some tipping culture shock.

CNN —Harry Belafonte, the dashing singer, actor and activist who became an indispensable supporter of the civil rights movement, has died, his publicist Ken Sunshine told CNN. Bettmann Archive/Getty Images Belafonte, left, plays a school principal in a scene from the film "See How They Run" in 1952. Bettmann Archive/Getty Images Belafonte poses with the Emmy Award he won in 1960 for the musical special "Tonight With Belafonte." Fred Sabine/NBCU/Getty Images Belafonte and other recipients of Albert Einstein Commemorative Awards display their medallions after being honored in 1972. He is survived by his wife Pamela, his children Adrienne Belafonte Biesemeyer, Shari Belafonte, Gina Belafonte, David Belafonte, two stepchildren Sarah Frank and Lindsey Frank and eight grandchildren.

☆ 'People want to do the right thing': Why 79% of hotel guests say you should tip — but only 30% do
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( Ryan Ermey | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

They want to do the right thing," says Diane Gottsman, an etiquette expert and owner of the Protocol School of Texas. Run your credit card at a restaurant, and your server will hand you a receipt with a "tip" line. In a recent survey from hotel software firm Canary Technologies, 79% of hotel guests said they think workers should get tips. But hotel workers in the survey said only about 30% of guests typically tip. As for a tip, you don't need to break out your wallet for directions to a nearby coffee shop, says Gottsman.

☆ Short-Staffed Hotels Offer Career Growth to Hire Workers
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Kate King | Photographs Keith King For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

When hotel operator Nath Inc. reopened its eight hotels in the summer of 2020, it struggled to fill openings for housekeepers and front-desk employees. The company boosted wages for some positions by more than 30% but was still short-staffed. Then Nath tried a different tack. The company created a career-development program with cross-department training and leadership workshops. Prospective housekeepers liked the idea that the company offered a path from cleaning rooms to running housekeeping or even managing a hotel, said Chief Operating Officer Bhavik Patel.

☆ I make 6 figures as an 'undercover guest' who helps resorts with bad reviews improve their game. Here's what I look for and how I stay incognito.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Annie Sherman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

I check in as a guest to enjoy the property, work incognito to evaluate the service, and create a customized training program for improvement. Courtesy of Stephanie LegerI charge a flat fee per service or day depending on the client's needs. Courtesy of Stephanie LegerLeger changing wigs in the bathroom to stay undercover. Courtesy of Stephanie LegerI stay in a secret persona throughout my visit and remember my story, which changes each time. When I got to my room at one hotel, another guest was in itOnce, I checked in to a hotel and the room was occupied.

☆ The most expensive home in the Caribbean just listed for $200 million – take a look inside
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Ray Parisi | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

It's located on the small private island of Mustique, which lies in the southern Caribbean nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Last year, Mustique's largest transaction was recorded at about $35 million, according to de Mallet Morgan. Here's a closer look at the most expensive home to ever hit the market in the Caribbean. The Bali Cottages house four more guest bedrooms and surround the estate's third swimming pool. De Mallet Morgan said the estate is currently operated by 18 staff.

New York CNN —Jonathan Pulliam has been working at Disney World since 2018, dressing up as everything from beloved Disney cartoon characters to Star Wars villains. Those working under this contract, all of them full-time employees, represent more than 40% of all workers at Disney World. “A dollar does not afford Disney workers with the ability to keep up with the skyrocketing rent increases. Union leadership said they hope that Disney will return to the table with a better offer once union members reject this one. Unions have represented workers at Disney World since soon after the park’s 1971 opening, but employees have never gone on strike.

☆ Large Pay Gains Outpace State Minimum-Wage Boosts for Many Workers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Austen Hufford | Photographs Amanda Lopez For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

More than half the states in the U.S. are set to lift their minimum wages in the coming year, but the effects could be muted because many low-income workers already earn more than mandated due to strong labor demand. Wages have surged, particularly for low-wage workers, since the pandemic for several reasons, including widespread labor shortages. Many employers say they have to pay more than federal, state and local minimum wages to recruit and hold on to restaurant servers, hotel housekeepers, retail store clerks and other employees.

☆ Google cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin gave $438 million to charities through their foundations last year. Here's where the tech gurus' huge donations went.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Rob Price | Hugh Langley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

In 2021, Google's cofounders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, collectively gave away nearly half a billion dollars from their philanthropic foundations. 2 moguls, 2 different approaches to charitiesBrin's personal foundation, the Sergey Brin Family Foundation, disbursed roughly $250 million in both 2020 and 2021. The Sergey Brin Family Foundation lists three key officers. Brin's and Page's philanthropic donations, while extensive, represent a fraction of their net worths. Brin donates directly to the Sergey Brin Family Foundation, while Page's contributions to the Carl Victor Page Memorial Foundation are routed through a limited-liability company named Florida LLC.

☆ Meet a 27-year-old Four Seasons concierge in charge of the hotel's VIP guests paying up to $25,000 a night
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

I shadowed a concierge in charge of high-paying guests at the Four Seasons in downtown New York. The queen ant in this metaphor is 27-year-old guest relations manager Jessica Waddy, whose job revolves around the hotel's high-profile guests and their countless needs. The cellar level of the Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown. The Empire Suite at Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown, with rates starting at $25,000 a night. The needs of high-profile guests are listed on a "rider," a document that's typically multiple pages long and attached to their hospitality contract.

☆ Tipping Point: New tip guidelines for holiday giving
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Chris Taylor | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

“I talk on etiquette issues all year long, and tipping is the one that always gets thousands of comments. The findings are a mixed bag for service providers, with some good news and some bad news about what is coming their way. But when it comes to holiday tipping, people just do not know what to do. That is called tipflation or tip creep, Farley says, and you should feel under no moral obligation to do so. But it's better to focus on the ongoing service providers in your life, who should be recognized with a healthy year-end tip.

☆ Jeff Bezos made housekeepers go 'without rest or meal breaks' and work in 'unsafe and unsanitary' settings, suit says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | David K. Li | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos subjected housekeepers to "unsafe and unsanitary" conditions, barring them from rest breaks and easy access to bathrooms, according to a lawsuit filed in Seattle this week. The civil action by Mercedes Wedaa also accused Bezos' subordinates of racial discrimination against Hispanic houseworkers in favor of their white counterparts. In addition to extended work shifts that went as long as 14 hours with no breaks, there was "no reasonably accessible bathroom for the housekeepers," the lawsuit said. The lawsuit later claimed that housekeepers "frequently developed Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)" due to not having easy access to restrooms. Bezos has a network of about $113 billion and is the world's fourth richest man, according to Forbes magazine.

☆ Jeff Bezos's ex-housekeeper is suing the tech billionaire, claiming she was racially discriminated against and forced to work in unsanitary conditions
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Jeff Bezos's ex-housekeeper is suing him over claims she was made to work in unsanitary conditions. A lawyer for Bezos told Bloomberg the claims have no merit. Sign up for our newsletter for the latest tech news and scoops — delivered daily to your inbox. Wedaa claimed in the complaint that she worked 10, 12, or sometimes 14-hour days without legally required breaks. The complaint claims that Bezos's housekeeping staff were not provided with a suitable place to eat and had to climb out of a window to access a bathroom.

☆ Jeff Bezos sued by former housekeeper over working conditions, discrimination by other staff
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Annie Palmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Jeff Bezos, owner of Blue Origin, introduces a new lunar landing module called Blue Moon during an event at the Washington Convention Center, May 9, 2019 in Washington, DC. A woman who says she worked as a housekeeper for Jeff Bezos is suing the Amazon founder and companies that manage his properties, claiming she endured "unsafe and unhealthy work conditions" and was subject to racial discrimination by other staff. Mercedes Wedaa said she was hired by Bezos' staff in 2019 to help maintain the billionaire tech magnate's Seattle-area property. The lawsuit claims there was no designated break room or rest area, and no easily accessible bathroom. Wedaa claims she was ultimately fired from her role after she raised complaints about working conditions and discriminatory behavior.

☆ I spent $500,000 renovating an Airbnb to look like Disneyland's Haunted Mansion ride. It's low maintenance, always booked, and provides truly passive income.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Jamie Killin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

As a kid, Jeffrey Schiefelbein loved the Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyland. People ask how I got into it, and it all goes back to when I was younger and was inspired by the Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyland. I went on the Haunted Mansion ride and started taking thousands of photographs to recreate all the elements from the ride. I wanted it to look like the actual house — not a house with Haunted Mansion memorabilia in it. For the people like me who are obsessed with Disney and the Haunted Mansion.

Like many stay-at-home moms I know, I work a side hustle that brings in income. But for most SAHMs, our paid work goes unacknowledged since it's not our family's main source of cash. Stay-at-home moms are known for cooking, cleaning, caring for kids, and an endless stream of other minutiae we call "homemaking." Thankfully, my family's financial well-being doesn't depend on my income; it depends on my husband's steady, 9-5 corporate finance gig. SAHMs contribute to their family's financial welfare by eliminating numerous household expenses through uncompensated labor.

☆ Hotels Want You to Be a Good Tipper, Even When You Don’t Have Cash
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Dawn Gilbertson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Mike Lynn paid his way through graduate school by bartending and waiting tables. He has written more than 80 academic papers on tipping. The professor at Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration doesn’t always have cash on hand to tip hotel housekeepers, though.

☆ Casino company Hard Rock to spend $100 million to raise employee wages
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-14 | by ( Contessa Brewer | Contessa Brewer Is A Correspondent For Cnbc. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Cheers and tears — that’s how thousands of Hard Rock workers reacted when they learned their paychecks are about to get a lot bigger. As inflation surges and recession fears linger, Hard Rock International and Seminole Gaming will spend more than $100 million to raise wages significantly for half of its U.S. workforce, more than 10,000 employees. In Florida, where the company is headquartered, some team members could get $16,000 more than the state’s minimum wage, Hard Rock said. Inflation is having an impact on the company, resulting in some softening in July, Allen said. Rising rates and pressure on people’s savings could put pressure on Hard Rock for the second half of 2022 and the first two quarters of 2023, he said.

☆ 'Deadly drop': Hotel housekeeper faces avalanche of laundry showing desperate hotel labor shortage in viral TikTok posts
▼ + stars: | 2022-08-21 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

One housekeeper uses TikTok to show how much laundry she must fold in an 8-plus hour shift. Zeiber's TikTok videos showing what she calls "deadly drops" from a linen chute into the hotel's laundry room, have gone viral, shocking viewers. In the comments section of her account, Zeiber clarified that she is not the only housekeeper at the hotel, but she's the only person responsible for laundry. Sometimes her workdays last beyond eight hours and include more than just laundry, according to Zeiber. Kasea Zeiber is the only housekeeper responsible for folding laundry in an 126-room hotel in the Pittsburgh area.

☆ I increased my beach house Airbnb rental income by $100,000 after firing my management company. I was nearly bankrupt, but now I feel accomplished.
▼ + stars: | 2022-07-28 | by ( Narina Exelby | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Anissa Branch hired an agency in 2017 to start renting out her Oregon beach house for holidays. My dream was to have a beach house. When my dream beach house went on the market, house prices had slumpedI got the house on Gleneden Beach in Oregon for $350,000 and used my savings to cover the down payment. By 2020, I had finalized my divorce and walked away with only my beach house. The beach house was my only source of income, so I started to watch what the management company was doing.

☆ I help foreigners get settled in Dubai. There's been a surge in interest from Russians to move to the city — here's what they're looking for.
▼ + stars: | 2022-03-21 | by ( Mark Ellwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

We offer all the services that come with starting up in Dubai: visas, taxes, accounting, relocation, real estate. Dubai has been working on its image for many years, and now it's up there with London or Monaco, in my opinion. Russian clients usually speak English, but they'll prefer to deal with Russian speakers. There's a feeling about Dubai that shady people can come here, set up, and get away with itIt's a real process here. In general, Russians prefer villas to apartmentsSince COVID-19, there's been a boom in villas — everyone wants them.

☆ They left the U.S. to 'live the beach life and save money' — take a look at what they eat, spend and do in a week
▼ + stars: | 2021-09-28 | by ( Gabriella M. Lindsay | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

They often ask what it's like to live the beach life. We spend an average of $150 per week on groceries and try to eat most of our meals at home. People love bringing their laptops to the beach, but I prefer to sit on my patio, where it's quiet and sand-free! Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards My husband and I love our day dates at cafes like The Bakery Lab. It's something we all look forward to, and a way to reconnect and unwind from the week.

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