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Council approves Terminal 1 lease and Staples Center supplemental agreement, affirms retroactive living-wage application
Summary
After public testimony from airport workers and stadium employees, the council approved leases and a supplemental agreement that trigger the city's living-wage and worker-retention requirements and set retroactive pay obligations to Sept. 1 for affected Terminal 1 workers; city attorneys and airport staff said leases are enforceable as presented.
The City Council approved two high-profile items that city staff said will bring workers at major venues under the city's living-wage and worker-retention rules.
Airport item: Council approved a lease for Terminal 1 at Los Angeles International Airport that city attorneys said is enforceable and that staff and unions said must carry living-wage obligations retroactive to Sept. 1. Timothy Hogan, an assistant city attorney, told the council the city views the lease as binding in all its terms and recommended council approval. A Southwest Airlines representative said the carrier supports the living-wage concept but disputed whether obligations should be retroactive to September; Southwest asked for an opportunity to meet with airport and city attorneys to resolve factual disagreements. Workers and union representatives testified that many Terminal 1 subcontracted security and service workers earn near-minimum wages and urged the council to hold companies to living-wage commitments. The council approved the lease on the roll call (10 ayes, 0 no, 1 not voting when recorded).
Staples Center item: The council also approved a supplemental agreement with the owners/operators of Staples Center to clarify the living-wage and worker-retention obligations for employees and subcontractors at the venue. Union representatives and workers who testified said they had to press management repeatedly to secure living-wage terms; several said they were paid low wages after being promised better pay when the arena opened. Staff described the supplemental agreement as a tool to allow the city to enforce labor obligations moving forward; the council approved the agreement (10-0 recorded).
Council members said the approvals were intended to ensure workers who provide essential services at public venues receive the protections the city ordinance requires. Several members asked city attorneys and airport staff to meet promptly with Southwest representatives to see if factual disputes could be resolved without litigation.
