Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón announced an investigation into the labor practices of hotels within LA County to see if they’re hiring migrants to replace striking workers.
In Monday’s statement, Gascón explained that his office is working with the hospitality union Unite Here Local 11 and other stakeholders to ensure compliance with labor laws.
“We take these egregious allegations with the utmost seriousness,” Gascón said. “The mistreatment of vulnerable workers and their exploitation will not be tolerated.”
The investigation will focus on the “alleged employment of unhoused refugees” in hotels in Santa Monica and LA, and also explore how the migrants were transported to the area.
According to the statement, there have been claims that some of the migrants were sent to LA from Texas per the Texas governor’s order while others were fleeing violence.
Unite Here Local 11, representing 32,000 workers employed in hotels, restaurants, airports, sports arenas, and convention centers throughout Southern California and Arizona, organized a walkout in July.
According to reports, about 15,000 workers across LA and Orange counties led the labor action with hopes of negotiating higher wages amid the tourism boom and a rising cost of living.