After months of negotiations, concession workers at the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center finally have a contract agreement with the venue’s operator, ASM Global, which increases hourly pay, provides protections on subcontracting and more.
Unite Here Local 11 – the labor union representing concession workers – announced last week that members “overwhelmingly” ratified the agreement with ASM Global.
“The improvements we won in our contract will help pay my rent and feed my family,” Jeanelle Cooper, a Convention Center concession worker of nine years, said in a statement. “I will be able to take my kids out and enjoy time with my family without worrying about money.”
The new agreement includes a wage increase totaling $12 an hour over the three-year agreement; some workers will see a 65% raise, according to an April 23 press release from Unite Here Local 11. Workers will also receive free family health insurance, an increase in pension contributions, and strong protections to prevent the exploitation of subcontracted workers – a key sticking point in the negotiations.
An extension of the contract will soon be developed for Long Beach’s temporary amphitheater, as the City Council recently approved ASM Global/Legacy as the operator for the new facility.
The contract will expire on Jan. 15, 2028 – right in time for the 2028 Summer Olympics. Concession workers at the Convention Center and the Long Beach Airport have been vocal about increased wages as the Olympic and Paralympic Games come to Los Angeles and Long Beach.
The Convention Center workers will join 20,000 Unite Here Local 11 members whose contracts expire on the eve of the 2028 Summer Olympics, union representatives said. The Convention Center is slated to host several events, including target shooting and water polo.
In addition to wage increases and benefits, ASM Global also agreed to offer employment to workers at the temporary staffing agency, 1Fifty1, which was the subject of allegations of potential wage theft, accusations that were investigated by the California Labor Commissioner, according to union representatives. ASM Global canceled its contract with 1Fifty 1 after workers came forward with the allegations.
Stacey Escudero, a spokesperson for ASM Global, said that the company has reached out to all the former 1Fifty1 employees for whom it has contact information and that many have already been hired. Any former 1Fifty1 employees interested in positions that may not have already been contacted are invited to reach out or apply for a position online, she added.
“We are proud that Unite Here and ASM Global have reached a new agreement,” Escudero said in a written statement on Tuesday, April 29, “reinforcing our shared commitment to good jobs, fair wages, and outstanding service at the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center.”
Concession workers have held rallies and picket lines to bring their needs to the attention of the City Council, Mayor Rex Richardson and Long Beach community members since December. Workers even asked people to boycott the State of the City Address in January to protest the issue of subcontracting at the Convention Center.
“Solidarity was the key to this victory,” Kurt Petersen, co-president of Unite Here Local 11, said in a statement. “Our members again showed extraordinary courage and unity – they refused to settle until the workers exploited by the temporary agency 1Fifty1 won justice. Now, those workers have the right to permanent jobs and will be covered by this extraordinary contract.”
The city also looked for ways to support concession workers in their bargaining agreements, general benefits and risks, and identified three scenarios for amending wage rates for Long Beach Airport and Convention Center concession workers and associated risks for each facility.
“I want to recognize the tireless efforts of our frontline hospitality workers, whose dedication is the heartbeat of Long Beach’s thriving tourism industry,” Richardson said in a statement on social media. “Congratulations to Unite Here 11 and ASM Global for reaching a fair contract agreement that honors that commitment. This agreement is about more than wages and benefits – it reflects our city’s values of opportunity, dignity and excellence for all.”
Throughout the negotiation process, workers said, they were scared to take a stand but also knew that all employees – even subcontracted workers – should be compensated fairly for their hard work.
“This wasn’t an easy contract to win,” Andrea Romero, a cook of 12 years at the Convention Center, said in a statement. “My coworkers and I didn’t have a choice, though. We won fair pay for the hard work that we do and the way we help the tourism industry prosper in Long Beach.”
