Los Angeles Tourism Worker Ordinance: What It Means for Small Hotels

Los Angeles is moving forward with a landmark Tourism Worker Ordinance that would significantly raise the minimum wage for hotel and airport workers in the city. Spearheaded by members of the City Council and backed by labor unions, the proposal aims to boost pay to $38 an hour (including health benefits) by 2028, in time for major events like the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics. While supporters say it will lift thousands of hospitality workers out of poverty, small hotel owners fear the added costs could put them out of business. This article consolidates all publicly available information on the ordinance’s background, the $38/hour wage plan, the exemption for boutique hotels, industry perspectives, economic arguments, adaptation strategies, and similar efforts in other cities.

Background: How the Ordinance Came About

The push for a tourism worker wage hike began in early 2023. On April 12, 2023, Councilmember Curren Price – joined by colleagues like Katy Yaroslavsky and Hugo Soto-Martinez – introduced a motion to raise wages for Los Angeles hotel and airport workers. At the time, L.A.’s hospitality sector was rebounding from the pandemic, and the city was preparing to host globally significant events. Price argued that the workers who keep hotels and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) running should share in the prosperity these events will bring. The proposal was often dubbed the “Olympic Wage” ordinance, linking it to the upcoming 2028 Olympic Games. It sought to consolidate two existing wage laws (one covering certain LAX employees and another covering large hotels) into a single, stronger ordinance. Over the next year and a half, the idea gained momentum.

Labor unions SEIU United Service Workers West and UNITE HERE Local 11 launched the “Tourism Workers Rising” campaign to rally support. They highlighted stories of employees struggling to afford Los Angeles’s high cost of living on the current wages (around $18–$19/hour for hotel and airport workers). By September 2024, an independent study commissioned by the city’s Chief Legislative Analyst was released, projecting positive impacts from the wage increase. Armed with that analysis, proponents brought the measure to key council committees in fall 2024. Finally, in December 2024, the Los Angeles City Council voted 12–3 to have the City Attorney draft the ordinance language, effectively endorsing the concept. Councilmembers Traci Park, Monica Rodriguez, and John Lee dissented, voicing concerns about tourism industry recovery. The draft ordinance is now moving through final approvals in 2025, with city officials expecting it to be formally adopted soon.

The $38/Hour Wage Proposal and Its Goals

The centerpiece of the Tourism Worker Ordinance is a phased increase in wages for hospitality workers to the equivalent of $38 per hour. The law would apply to two categories of employees: those at hotels with 60 or more rooms and certain workers at LAX (such as janitors, security officers, baggage handlers, and airline catering staff). Under the plan, the base hourly wage for these “tourism workers” would rise in annual steps:

• $22.50/hour on July 1, 2025 (or Feb 1, 2025, according to some reports)
• $25.00/hour by July 1, 2026
• $27.50/hour by July 1, 2027
• $30.00/hour by July 1, 2028

On top of these base wages, employers would have to provide a substantial health-care stipend. Starting in 2025, workers would receive an extra $8.35 per hour (on average) to cover health insurance costs. If an employer already provides health benefits of equivalent value, they could count that toward the $8.35; otherwise, the difference must be paid in cash to the employee. By combining the $30 base wage and roughly $8 in health pay, the ordinance effectively guarantees about $38 an hour in total compensation for covered workers by 2028. Supporters say this dramatic wage increase is intended to ensure that the people working in L.A.’s lucrative tourism industry can afford to live in the city. “No one should work a full-time job in the city of LA and not be able to afford a place to live,” asserted Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson during council debate. The ordinance’s champions frame it as a matter of economic justice, noting that the vast majority of hotel and airport employees are people of color and many live paycheck to paycheck. By raising pay to a “living wage,” the law aims to keep tens of thousands of families housed and out of poverty.

Union leader Kurt Petersen of UNITE HERE Local 11 argued that “raising wages for tourism workers keeps tens of thousands of families in their homes and boosts our local economy” rather than lining corporate pockets. Higher incomes for workers would mean more spending in local businesses, creating a ripple effect through the economy. In fact, a city-commissioned economic study by Berkeley Economic Advising and Research (BEAR) found that the ordinance could be a net positive for the region. According to the analysis presented to the Council, the wage hike would create about 6,300 new jobs in Los Angeles (as low-wage workers spend their additional earnings), add roughly $1.2 billion to regional GDP, and increase aggregate wages for tourism workers by over $100 million within four years. Around 23,000 workers citywide would see a raise – including 40% of all LAX employees and 60% of hotel workers.

Proponents also emphasize that many large hotels and airlines have recovered from the pandemic downturn and are seeing strong revenues from rebounding tourism, so they argue those employers can afford to pay more. The ordinance is meant to ensure upcoming events like the Olympics benefit the working class; as Councilman Price said, it’s time to turn tourism jobs from minimum-wage positions into true living-wage careers.

Exemption for Small Hotels (59 Rooms or Fewer)

Crucially, Los Angeles’s Tourism Worker Ordinance would not apply to small hotels. The law is written to cover “hotel employers with 60 or more guest rooms”, which means any property with 59 or fewer rooms is exempt. This carve-out was included to avoid overburdening boutique hotels, bed-and-breakfast inns, and mom-and-pop motels that may not have the financial resources of a large chain or luxury hotel. Under the current hotel wage rules in L.A., these smaller establishments only need to pay the city’s standard minimum wage (which is $17.87/hour in 2025) – not the higher “hotel wage.” That exemption would continue under the new ordinance. In other words, a 50-room independent hotel can keep paying the base minimum wage, whereas a 200-room Marriott or Hilton in the city would be required to eventually pay $30 + $8 in benefits per hour.

For small hotel operators, this exemption is a critical relief valve. Many of these businesses operate on thin margins and cater to budget-conscious travelers. They have less pricing power to absorb a big jump in labor costs. By excluding hotels with 59 rooms or fewer, the ordinance aims to reduce cost pressures on small operators and family-owned hotels that might otherwise be forced to dramatically raise rates or cut staff. “Limited-service properties do not offer the same services that full-service hotels offer and should not be treated as such,” explained Kamalesh “KP” Patel, a California hotelier and vice-chair of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA), in testimony to the City Council. AAHOA and others argued that imposing a $30+ wage on small, limited-service hotels – which often lack amenities like restaurants or banquet halls to generate extra revenue – could be devastating. The Council evidently heeded some of these concerns by keeping the longstanding 60-room threshold in place.

Even with the exemption, however, industry advocates note that many “small” hotels will still be affected – for example, an independent hotel with 75 rooms or a mid-range franchise with 100 rooms will be subject to the law. AAHOA has emphasized that these smaller and mid-sized hotels face unique challenges and tight profit margins. “A sudden wage hike to $30 per hour, coupled with healthcare costs, could destabilize many of these hotels, leading to layoffs, reduced services, or even closures,” warned AAHOA in a statement on the proposal. The exemption for the very smallest properties is helpful, but it doesn’t shield all independent hoteliers. Many non-union, limited-service hotels in the 60–150 room range – often run by local entrepreneurs – would still have to implement the raises and might struggle to do so. This concern has fueled calls for additional relief or phase-in periods for those operators, though as of now the ordinance treats all 60+ room hotels the same.

Hotel Industry Response: “Enough is Enough,” Say Owners

The Tourism Worker Ordinance has encountered fierce opposition from hotel owners and industry groups. From the moment the proposal was unveiled, business leaders have argued that such a large, targeted wage mandate would have unintended consequences for tourism in Los Angeles. In late 2024 and early 2025, as the City Council deliberated, coalitions of hotel owners launched public campaigns to persuade officials to reconsider. Dozens of hotel managers and small business owners showed up at City Hall meetings and press conferences, often flanked by representatives of industry associations such as the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), the Hotel Association of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, and AAHOA.

Their message was consistent: raising wages this steeply, this fast, could “jeopardize jobs, devastate much-needed tourism tax revenue, and lead to the closure of hotels”. “Enough is enough,” declared Peter Hillan of the Hotel Association of L.A., pointing to a pattern of city policies that businesses say make it harder to operate in Los Angeles. The AHLA’s CEO, Rosanna Maietta, joined local hoteliers at a rally in April 2025, cautioning that the new mandate “will destroy the tourism industry and the thousands of jobs it sustains” if enacted. She and others noted that Los Angeles is facing a $1 billion budget deficit and still recovering from the pandemic and even recent natural disasters (like regional wildfires), and argued the city cannot afford to risk further hotel closures. According to AHLA, at least two hotels in Los Angeles had already shut their doors in the past year because they “simply cannot afford to stay open” – a trend they fear would accelerate under the added weight of higher labor costs. AAHOA, which represents many of the nation’s small and mid-sized hotel owners, has been particularly vocal.

Its leaders contend that the economic impact study used to justify the wage increase was “majorly flawed” and failed to account for differences between large luxury hotels and small limited-service properties. “This proposal would create severe unintended consequences for small and independent hotels, which are the backbone of our industry,” said AAHOA Chairman Miraj S. Patel, calling on city leaders to find a more balanced solution that “sustains workers and small businesses”. AAHOA President & CEO Laura Lee Blake warned that many family-owned hotels are still recovering from the pandemic and could be pushed to the brink by an “extreme” wage hike implemented without sufficient input from owners. Several Council members echoed the industry’s concerns during hearings. Councilwoman Traci Park, who chairs the council’s Tourism Committee, described the $30 + health pay proposal as an “unprecedented increase” – one that might be conceivable in a booming economy, but, she argued, “our economy is not strong right now. This is especially true for the tourism sector, which is hanging on by a thread”.

Councilman John Lee likewise cautioned that “at this critical moment in our city’s history, we cannot afford” a law that could “make things worse and further drive down tourism” in L.A.. Together with Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, Park and Lee attempted to introduce amendments for a slower phase-in and a lower health supplement, as a compromise with the hotel industry, but those amendments failed on 10–5 votes in December 2024. Having lost those votes, the hotel industry is now focusing on public pressure and potential legal action. In late April 2025, Councilmembers Lee and Park stood beside AHLA and AAHOA leaders on the steps of City Hall to urge colleagues to reject the ordinance. Business groups are circulating economic data and writing letters to city officials. Notably, this is not the first time L.A. hotels have fought back against a city wage law – in 2014, when Los Angeles enacted a $15.37 minimum wage for large hotels, AHLA and AAHOA sued the city in federal court (arguing the hotel-only mandate interfered with union relations). That lawsuit did not ultimately block the law, but it underscores the lengths to which the industry has gone to challenge such regulations. Similar legal challenges could be on the table if the $38/hour ordinance is enacted, though no lawsuit has been filed yet. For now, hoteliers are hoping City Council will reconsider or at least delay the measure, especially given the ongoing recovery of tourism to pre-pandemic levels.

Economic Debate: Higher Wages vs. Risk of Closures

Behind the political back-and-forth lies a stark economic debate. Will dramatically higher labor costs uplift workers without harming the hospitality sector, or will they backfire by forcing businesses to cut jobs and raise prices? Both sides cite dueling studies to make their case. On one hand, the City Council’s commissioned report (conducted by BEAR) favors the wage hike – projecting increased worker spending that stimulates job growth and suggesting that any increased costs to businesses would largely be passed on to tourists, not local residents. In fact, supporters argue that Los Angeles’s booming tourism market can bear a modest increase in prices: if hotels charge a few dollars more per room or if airport concession prices tick up slightly to cover higher wages, out-of-town visitors will be footing much of the bill, while local workers reap the benefits.

The BEAR study emphasized that the affected workers are among the lowest-paid in the city, meaning they are likely to spend their extra earnings on basic needs in the local economy. In short, proponents see the ordinance as a way to reduce inequality and strengthen the overall economy by boosting the purchasing power of tens of thousands of residents. Hotel owners and economists on the other side foresee a different outcome. They warn that a wage floor as high as $30 – roughly double the current California minimum wage – could significantly increase operating costs, especially for labor-intensive businesses like hotels. The fear is that some hotels, especially older or smaller ones, will not be able to raise room rates enough to cover the jump in payroll expenses. If a hotel’s labor costs surge 30–40%, yet it cannot increase revenue proportionally (due to competition or travelers’ price sensitivity), it may become unprofitable. Industry advocates predict this will lead to tough choices: business closures, layoffs, reduced hours, or cutting guest services. A report by the Los Angeles County Business Federation (BizFed) cited by opponents projected that the proposed wage law could result in about 15,000 hotel jobs lost as employers eliminate positions or shelve expansion plans. BizFed also estimated a $1.1 billion decline in economic output for the region, as higher prices and fewer operating hotels could dampen tourism spending. Similarly, an analysis shared by AHLA warned that L.A. could lose thousands of affordable hotel rooms – and even risk some planned hotel projects – if labor costs balloon.

The industry points to real-world examples: in the words of AHLA, already “two hotels have shut their doors” in Los Angeles because they “cannot afford to stay open” under current conditions. If those are early warning signs, hoteliers fear a wave of closures or bankruptcies if the ordinance takes effect, especially among independent hotels not backed by multinational companies. Fewer hotels in operation could in turn reduce competition and drive up lodging prices, making Los Angeles a more expensive destination. For consumers, that could mean higher nightly rates and potentially fewer budget-friendly options when visiting the city. Opponents also argue that Los Angeles’s attractiveness as a venue for conventions and events might suffer if hotel costs soar. They note that the city is trying to lure visitors for the Olympics and other events – a goal that relies on having ample hotel capacity at various price points. If some 2-star and 3-star hotels cut staff or close, the remaining upscale hotels could raise prices further, potentially pricing out certain traveler segments. This could reduce the overall number of visitors. Furthermore, with a $38/hour mandate, L.A. would be an outlier; no other major U.S. city has a general hotel wage that high.

Business leaders worry this could deter new hotel investments in Los Angeles, as evidenced by one hotel executive’s claim that the ordinance would “likely kill” a planned 400-room expansion of the Hilton Universal City hotel. In response, supporters maintain that these doomsday predictions are overblown. They contend that hospitality companies cried foul before past minimum wage increases as well, yet the industry continued to thrive. Los Angeles has raised its minimum wage citywide in recent years and previously imposed a special $15 wage for large hotels – and the dire closures and mass layoffs feared then did not broadly materialize. Additionally, unionized hotels in L.A. have already been granting significant raises through collective bargaining. In fact, after a series of strikes in summer 2023, many major unionized hotels in Southern California agreed to new contracts that will raise housekeepers’ pay to about $35 an hour by 2027. This suggests that paying near $30 (plus benefits) is feasible at large properties – though employers note that union contracts often phase in raises over several years and come with productivity tweaks to offset costs. Nonetheless, the existence of $30–$35/hour wages at union hotels undermines the argument that such pay levels are entirely untenable. Advocates also point out that the Los Angeles tourism sector is enjoying record-high room rates and a strong rebound in demand, especially in the luxury segment. They argue that well-capitalized hotel owners can afford to take a slight hit to their profit margins in order to pay front-line workers a livable wage, and that doing so will reduce employee turnover and improve service quality in the long run.

Adapting to Higher Labor Costs: Automation and Efficiency

Faced with the prospect of higher wages, many hotels are already considering strategies to adapt. One approach being discussed is greater use of process automation and labor-saving technology to maintain service levels with fewer staff. For example, some hotels have introduced ID scanning at check-in and digital room keys, allowing guests to bypass the front desk – this can reduce the number of front-desk agents needed per shift. Others are investing in AI-powered concierge chatbots to handle common guest requests, or even experimenting with service robots (for tasks like delivering room amenities or cleaning floors) to supplement their workforce. If the cost of human labor rises sharply, such technologies become more attractive to hospitality businesses. In general, a business might cope with wage hikes by “aggressively turning to new technology that reduces the need for labor”. Indeed, hotel owners warn that an expensive labor mandate will accelerate automation in the industry, as companies look to offset costs. Beyond high-tech solutions, hotels are also likely to streamline operations for efficiency.

This could mean scheduling staff more tightly around peak service times and scaling back certain offerings. For instance, some hotels might limit daily housekeeping service or only clean rooms upon request (a trend that took hold during the pandemic under the banner of being “eco-friendly,” but also saves labor costs). However, it’s worth noting that Los Angeles passed a separate ordinance in 2022 that requires hotels to offer daily room cleaning by default, in an effort to protect housekeeping jobs. So, cutting back on cleaning may not be a legal option in L.A., pushing hoteliers to find other efficiencies. Another adaptation strategy is to cross-train employees so that a leaner staff can cover multiple roles. A higher wage means each employee is more expensive, but if that employee can handle the work of what used to be two positions (for example, acting as both receptionist and concierge, or a housekeeper who can also do laundry), a hotel might operate with a smaller team. Hotels may also reevaluate their amenities – for example, a small hotel might close its restaurant or shorten restaurant hours if it can’t afford kitchen staff, or eliminate room service in favor of a self-serve lobby pantry.

Of course, these efficiency moves can only go so far before they start to impact guest experience. Industry experts caution that a knee-jerk reaction like a hiring freeze can hurt customer service and ultimately a hotel’s reputation. The challenge for hotels will be to innovate and adopt technology in ways that preserve the quality of hospitality. In the long run, a combination of higher-skilled, better-paid staff and smart automation could enhance productivity. For example, a housekeeping team equipped with improved tools and scheduling software might clean rooms faster, offsetting some of the increased wage costs with productivity gains. Likewise, if better pay reduces staff turnover, hotels could save on recruitment and training expenses, which partially compensates for the wage expense. Many hotels are already offering higher wages to attract workers amid labor shortages, so some view the ordinance as merely catching up to market rates. Nonetheless, there’s consensus in the industry that significant operational adjustments will be necessary. The era of abundant cheap labor in hospitality is ending, and successful hotels will be those that adapt through technology, training, and possibly reimagined service models.

Similar Tourism Labor Initiatives in Other Cities

Los Angeles is at the forefront of this particular wage push, but it isn’t alone in seeking to improve conditions for tourism industry workers. Across the country, other cities and regions are grappling with how to balance worker pay and industry growth in hospitality. Here are a few relevant examples and comparisons:

• Las Vegas, NV: The Las Vegas Strip’s hotel-casino workforce is heavily unionized, which has led to substantial wage increases through collective bargaining (rather than city ordinances). In late 2023, the powerful Culinary Union in Las Vegas negotiated its largest raises ever – securing an immediate 10% pay hike and a total increase of 32% over five years for tens of thousands of casino-hotel employees. While the base minimum wage in Nevada is much lower (about $12/hour), union housekeepers and other service workers on the Strip will be earning well above $20/hour, many approaching the high $20s by the end of the contract. Some veteran unionized hotel staff in Vegas will even reach the $30+ range with tips or longevity pay. This shows that market forces and union efforts are raising wages for tourism workers in major markets, even absent a legal mandate. However, unlike Los Angeles, Las Vegas has not tried to impose a blanket $25 or $30 municipal minimum wage for all hospitality jobs. The approach there remains through collective bargaining, which ties raises to company revenues and other negotiated factors.
• San Francisco, CA: San Francisco’s cost of living and labor standards are often compared to L.A.’s. San Francisco does not have a tourism-specific wage law, but it does have one of the highest overall minimum wages in the country. As of July 1, 2024, the citywide minimum wage is $18.07, and it is scheduled to rise to $19.18/hour in 2025. That rate applies to all industries, including hotels and restaurants. Additionally, San Francisco’s laws require larger employers to either provide health benefits or pay a supplemental compensation (under the Health Care Security Ordinance and Minimum Compensation Ordinance) – similar in spirit to L.A.’s proposed $8.35 health supplement. San Francisco’s hospitality sector is also heavily unionized, and union contracts there (as of 2023) have raised hotel housekeeper wages into the mid-$20s per hour. Notably, during recent contract negotiations, San Francisco hotel workers pushed for wage increases and the restoration of daily cleaning services (much like the issues in L.A.), even staging a strike in summer 2023. While San Francisco hasn’t pursued a $30 tourism wage law, its combination of a high general minimum wage and mandated benefits sets a high baseline; Los Angeles’s ordinance would leapfrog even San Francisco’s standards by a wide margin.
• Seattle, WA: Seattle provides another interesting comparison. In 2015, Seattle voters passed a law (Initiative 124) targeted at hotel workers, which, among other things, required a higher minimum wage for employees of large hotels (100+ rooms) unless the hotel provided affordable health insurance. That law effectively set a wage floor similar to L.A.’s approach: if no health coverage was given, Seattle hotels had to pay a premium hourly wage (several dollars above the normal minimum) to compensate. Legal challenges ensued, but ultimately Seattle implemented portions of the law through its “Hotel Employees Health and Safety Initiative.” Today, Seattle’s general minimum wage is ~$18.69 (for large employers), and hotel workers at large properties must either receive company-provided health insurance or a corresponding wage supplement. The concept is analogous to Los Angeles’s $30 + $8 plan, though the dollar amounts differ. Seattle’s ordinance also included provisions for workload limits and job security. Los Angeles has already adopted similar safety protections (panic buttons, workload limits) in a prior ordinance. So in many ways, L.A.’s current proposal is part of a broader trend on the West Coast to establish sector-specific standards for hospitality workers.
• Other Southern California Cities: A number of smaller cities in Southern California have enacted their own hotel worker protection laws in recent years, often inspired by Los Angeles. For example, the city of Long Beach passed a hotel minimum wage ordinance back in 2012 (by voter initiative) that raised pay for hotel workers in that city and provided additional sick days. More recently, cities like West Hollywood and Glendale have considered measures to boost hotel worker wages and safety. West Hollywood’s City Council in 2021 approved a series of increases that brought its minimum wage (for all workers) to $19.08 by mid-2023, with hotel workers entitled to that wage or higher. Glendale in 2022 passed a Hotel Workers Safety Ordinance (focused mainly on panic buttons and workload, but discussions included wage issues too). And Santa Monica has long had a living wage requirement for hotel contracts on city-owned land. These local actions show a patchwork of efforts to improve hospitality jobs – although Los Angeles’s $38/hour proposal is by far the most ambitious wage target to date in the region.
• National Outlook: The issues at play in Los Angeles resonate in tourism-heavy cities nationwide. From Orlando and Miami to New York and Chicago, hotel workers and their unions are watching L.A.’s experiment closely. Many regions have raised minimum wages broadly, but few have singled out tourism workers for a dramatically higher pay standard. L.A. could set a precedent if its ordinance succeeds (or if it struggles). Already, unions in cities like Orlando – which will host World Cup matches in 2026 – have suggested that those international events should lead to higher wages for the local workers who make them possible. It’s conceivable that if L.A. implements the Olympic Wage and maintains a thriving tourism economy, other cities might pursue similar targeted wage laws for airports, hotels, or even theme parks. Conversely, if there are negative consequences, it might serve as a cautionary tale. In Las Vegas, for example, any move toward a city-mandated hospitality wage would be highly controversial given Nevada’s state preemption laws and the strength of existing union contracts; thus Vegas may stick to union negotiations as the path to higher pay. Overall, L.A. is breaking new ground, and the rest of the country is watching.

Outlook

As of mid-2025, Los Angeles’s Tourism Worker Ordinance is on the cusp of final approval, with city lawyers drafting the legal text and the Council expected to cast a final vote soon. If enacted, the first wage increases would kick in within months, giving hotel and airport employers relatively little time to adjust. All eyes will then be on how businesses respond – whether through price increases, operational changes, or other measures – and how workers benefit in reality. The ordinance represents a bold bet that lifting the floor for thousands of low-wage workers will ultimately strengthen Los Angeles’s economy without undermining its status as a world-class tourist destination. For small hotels, in particular, the coming years may be challenging. Those under 60 rooms will breathe a sigh of relief at being exempt, but many independent operators just above the threshold will have to get creative to survive the higher payroll. Some may seek to differentiate themselves with superior service to justify higher room rates; others might consider selling to larger chains if they feel they cannot remain competitive. Industry associations like AAHOA have pledged to continue advocating for these small businesses, possibly exploring ways to mitigate impacts (such as lobbying for tax breaks or subsidies to offset wage costs for the smallest hotels).

On the other side, thousands of hotel housekeepers, dishwashers, line cooks, bellhops, security officers, and cabin cleaners are hopeful that this ordinance will transform their livelihoods. For them, a raise to $25 and eventually $30 an hour could mean no longer having to work two jobs or sacrifice time with family just to afford rent and groceries. Advocates say that improved morale and financial stability for workers could translate into better customer service and a more robust hospitality sector in the long run. Los Angeles is attempting to prove that you can significantly boost wages in a key industry and still have a thriving tourism economy. If it succeeds, the city will set a new standard for how tourism workers are valued in America. If it falters, either through economic fallout or legal strikes, it will provide a case study in the delicate balance between workers’ rights and business viability. In any case, the journey L.A. has embarked on – from the initial motion in 2023 to the likely implementation by 2025 – marks a historic moment for the city’s labor landscape, one that small hotel owners and their employees are watching with intense interest.