GLENDALE, AZ — An organization known as Worker Power collected signatures to get Proposition 499 on the ballot this year for the city of Glendale residents.
The proposition would establish a minimum wage of $20 an hour for hotel workers and event venue workers, about $5 more than Arizona's minimum wage.
The proposition would also limit the amount of square footage hotel room attendants are allowed to clean within an 8-hour workday. If the limit is exceeded, the employer would be required to pay double pay to the employee for each hour that day.
"As Glendale thrives and as the hospitality industry thrives, the workers deserve to have a piece of that and be paid fairly for the work that they do," stated Rachele Smith, a spokesperson for Worker Power. "The hospitality workers who are actually making that possible are not able to keep up with even having a place to live."
Worker Power argues the goal of the proposition is to keep up with the cost of living for employees. "People that can afford to spend a little extra and go out at the end of the month instead of just worrying about how to pay their rent will spend back into the community" Smith stated.
The group called Save Glendale Jobs, organized by the Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association, is against the proposition.
"When mandated wages go up, hoteliers and event center operators don’t have a lot of good choices. So, they can raise the rates on their rooms, or they can start to cut staff hours and jobs," stated spokesperson Garrick Taylor.
The organization said it would impact the public sector by requiring the city of Glendale to set up its own Department of Labor.
Save Glendale Jobs argues it would also impact the private sector in the city as well.
"Before you put a shovel in the ground you’ve got to think about how economically competitive your business is going to be. In Glendale, things are going to get a lot more expensive if this passes and developers, including developers of hotels, are going to give a second thought to doing business in that city," Taylor stated.
Proposition 499 will be on the ballot in Glendale this Election Day.
