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Irvine repeals workload rules in hotel worker ordinance; council vote splits 4-2
Summary
The City Council adopted amendments on a second reading to remove workload-specific compensation rules from the city’s hotel worker protections ordinance, rejecting labor-backed limits on daily room-square-foot caps while leaving safety and other protections in place.
The Irvine City Council voted 4-2 on Jan. 28 to adopt an ordinance amendment that removes workplace workload and compensation caps from the city’s hotel worker protection rules.
Councilmember Carol Carroll moved the ordinance’s second reading; council approved the change after public testimony that included hotel owners, hotel operators and housekeepers. The ordinance revision, adopted as Ordinance 24-22, strips the municipal code of square-footage and room-count limits that would have created city-enforced ceilings on daily cleaning assignments and an associated automatic double-time pay trigger.
Shortly before the final vote, Mayor Larry Agron said he had supported the ordinance at first reading with the hope of negotiating stronger pay protections for housekeepers, but said on the dais he remained unconvinced by the path presented for securing that outcome. “So I’m gonna be voting no tonight,” Agron said.
Councilmember Carroll said she supported repeal because the workload rules as written would have exposed some hotels to “severe financial hardship” and stymied new hotel projects that city leaders say drive local jobs and hotel‑tax revenue. Several hotel owners and operators told the council the limits would double housekeeping labor costs for many properties and threaten financing for pending developments.
Housekeepers and labor advocates asked the council to preserve the workload and pay provisions, saying the rules were necessary to protect workers doing physically demanding work. “Please vote no and stand by and enforce the full strength of the previously passed law,” said housekeeper Yuciro Noyola, whose comments were translated during public comment.
The final roll call was 4 in favor and 2 opposed. Councilmembers William Goh, Melinda Liu, Carroll and Vice Mayor James Mai voted yes. Councilmember Tresita and Mayor Agron voted no.
Adoption removes the city‑level square‑footage caps and the automatic overtime triggers but staff said other protections in the hotel ordinance — such as panic-button security measures and some safety-related rules — remain in force and will continue to be implemented and enforced.
Opponents of the repeal said they will continue to pursue higher hourly pay for the lowest-paid hotel workers and called on council to explore citywide living-wage approaches for low-paid service workers.
