Taylor Swift urged to delay LA shows as hotel workers fight for living wages
Los Angeles, California - Hotel workers are asking Taylor Swift to enter her "solidarity era" by postponing her Los Angeles shows as they threaten to go on strike.
With jacked-up prices, Los Angeles hotels are set to make massive profits as fans pour into town for Taylor Swift's upcoming concerts, but workers fighting for a living wage are not expected to see any of those gains.
That's why Unite Here Local 11 – the labor union representing housekeepers, reception workers, cooks, and more at around 60 hotels across LA and Orange County – is urging the pop star to postpone her Los Angeles show to add pressure on hotel execs.
"Dear Taylor, as a strong and fearless woman, you inspire us," workers wrote in an open letter to Swift last Thursday, published as an ad in the Los Angeles Times. "We make beds, clean bathrooms, and take care of every guest need."
"Your shows make our hotels a lot of money. In Los Angeles, hotels are doubling and tripling what they charge because you are coming," the letter continued.
"They also add junk fees on rooms, just like Ticketmaster does."
Hotel workers struggle to make a living in Los Angeles
Meanwhile, workers say their wages are so minimal that most cannot afford to live close to their jobs. Many are losing their homes, even those further away from their workplaces, with some workers forced to sleep in their cars between shifts.
"Today, we are fighting for our lives. Unless we can earn a living wage, we will strike next week. Speak Now! Stand with us and postpone your concerts," the hotel workers demanded.
Taylor Swift is set to perform six shows at LA's SoFi Stadium, starting Thursday, as the planned final US leg of The Eras Tour.
Cover photo: Collage: REUTERS & SUZANNE CORDEIRO / AFP