Unite Here and Worker Power routinely employ these bully tactics to force businesses to give in to their costly and abusive demands:
Inglewood, CA – In 2015 the LA County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO opposed development of a new football stadium that would bring the Rams back to LA. After the Rams ownership received zoning approval for a new stadium site, the union blocked the process until the developer agreed to use union jobs in construction and after the project was complete. Union leadership explicitly agreed to pull their referendum petitions if the developers signed a written agreement with the union. The union made its motives even clearer by simultaneously supporting a proposed stadium in nearby Carson for the Chargers and Raiders because that developer had promised union jobs from the start.
San Bruno, CA – In 2016 hotel and restaurant workers union Unite Here Local 2 launched an effort to block development of a hotel because the developers refused to guarantee the staff would join their union. The hotel site was previously owned by the city, and the union attempted to trigger a referendum on the city’s sale of the land to the developer. The city refused to certify the petitions because the decision was administrative and later won a lawsuit blocking the referendum.
West Hollywood, CA – In 2019, West Hollywood Measure B would have blocked development of a new building for a private social club, retail and office space. The Arts Club project was spearheaded by Gwyneth Paltrow and other investors, but it was opposed by Unite Here Local 11, a hospitality union. The developer told the union it was planning to staff the club with non-union workers, so the union decided to hold the development hostage as a result and trigger the referendum. While the referendum ultimately failed, more than a million dollars was spent as a result, and the threat to future developments was clear.
Beverly Hills, CA – In 2023, Unite Here Local 11 blocked development of a new hotel in Beverly Hills. The union again led the effort to put two separate measures on the ballot that rescinded approval of the hotel’s development under the guise of group called “Citizens for Responsible Development Beverly Hills.” Both measures were passed by fewer than 100 votes, blocking the project until the union could extract more concessions out of the developer.