Convention center workers urge Long Beach to investigate alleged wage theft, extend living‑wage protections to subcontracted staff

Several convention center workers and advocacy groups used the March 18 public comment period to press the City Council to investigate alleged wage theft by subcontractors at the Long Beach Convention Center and to extend living‑wage and worker‑retention protections to subcontracted employees.

"For 7 months, my coworkers and I have been fighting for a fair contract," said Janelle Cooper, who identified herself as a concession cashier at the convention center. "We have picketed. We have called for a boycott and authorized a strike. We will continue to demand that ASM Global agree to a fair contract that ensures all of its workers, including subcontracted workers, earn a living wage and are treated fairly."

Andrea Romero, who said she has worked as a cook at the convention center for 11 years, described allegations that workers were being paid in cash envelopes without pay stubs and called the reports "damning." "This city council must fix this. Please investigate these violations, protect impacted workers, and assure that workers are made whole," Romero said.

Advocates asked the council to enforce the city's living wage ordinance and the worker retention ordinance and to require ASM Global — the convention center operator — to hire affected workers directly. Martha Cota of Latinos in Action California said that "no workers should be paid under the table without proper documentation" and urged the city to protect subcontracted staff.

Council members and staff did not announce any formal enforcement action at the meeting. Speakers asked for an investigation, restitution for workers, and inclusion of subcontracted workers under the city's living‑wage rules. The council clerk recorded the public comment; no ordinance or motion to investigate was introduced by the council during the session.

The council did not take a formal vote on enforcement at the March 18 meeting. Workers and organizers said they will keep pressing the city for a response and for the enforcement of existing ordinances covering wages and subcontracted staff.