I have received polished advertisements informing Lagunans about a labor union, Local 11, threatening Laguna’s soulful authenticity and the unique mission of three hotel organizations suspicious of outside influence and whose statements indicate only locals know the truth. Over the years, I’ve been a customer at all three of these hotels and what I recall is that the service staff was obsequious and efficient.
I also recall an absurd photo on the cover of the Indy at our South Beach with men holding a skimboard proclaiming themselves as the fathers of skimboarding at the butcher shop of El Salvador. Well, well, no filter here. Over fifty years ago, I attended an on-campus speech by a small, charismatic man, Cesar Chavez, who was a leader of the fledging farm worker’s union. He wanted water, toilets, a fair wage, and eight-hour workdays, and much like our budding Greenbelt, it was seen as controversial. Perhaps members of Local 11 have the character of Mr. Chavez. Perhaps Local 11 sees wage and benefit disparities. With half the country living paycheck to paycheck, the perennial cause of a living wage is ever more acute.
Who are these puppeteers? I sense that the three amigos are moneymakers. Perhaps this propaganda campaign will win. Perhaps this local state of mind will inculcate the millions of people flooding our streets. If the amigos win, despite our complications, Lagunans can be assured that the celebrity, dictator, and hedge fund hud sucker will go home with that specified Laguna vibe.
Greg Taylor, Laguna Beach
Mr. Taylor- My husband and I both went to college in LA. We both met while working at one of the cafeterias on campus. That is when I was first introduced to UNITE HERE Local 11, they were the Union for the food service staff. I can speak from my experience with them. While I do think Unions are relevant, they are stuck in time. They are relevant because they hope to create fairness in employee pay – a more level field as far as salary is concerned, rather than all the money flowing to the top. But, their strategies and focus were stuck in an era that had no relation to reality. They stopped any new technology or equipment from being introduced unless it was a bargaining tool. It was like trying to argue for the rotary dial phone. Sure there is a need for the telephone, but any new ways to use them are forbidden. Also, I felt like I was taking less money home after I paid my dues.
They didn’t want you to innovate to benefit the company but rather the employees. To me, that seemed backward. If the business wasn’t taken care of, how could it afford to take care of the employees? I believe you negotiate with your feet. If you are treated worse than market values, you go somewhere else. Companies that don’t pay their people what they are worth going out of business. Companies that pay their people more than they are worth going out of business even faster. Which is why I am voting No on Measures R & S.