Long Beach votes to arm hotel employees with panic buttons
Residents in Long Beach have voted in favor of issuing panic buttons to workers in medium and large city hotels.
Based on mail-in ballots, nearly 62% voted yes for the contentious measure. The vote also included work limits for hotel housekeeping employees.
It has been welcomed by unions and hospitality workers but will cost the local hospitality industry millions by mandating some of the strictest labor requirements in the country, according to Pete Hillan, spokesman for the Long Beach Hospitality Alliance.
"For us, it’s really about dignity on the job, especially the overwhelmingly majority women of color who work in the hospitality industry," said Victor Sanchez, director for the Long Beach Coalition For Good Jobs and Healthy Communities.
"It’s an economic equity issue. It’s a dignity and respect issue on the job, and that’s why it’s so important for us."
The issue split the City Council as well as obvious divisions between campaigning unions and large hospitality employers.
It may still be shelved or at least amended as a competing ordinance is set for a second reading and possible final approval next month.
That bill also calls for the installation of panic buttons in all hotels but does not cover the union-backed labor amendments.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
France prepares for a massive strike across all transports on September 18
Turkish tourism stalls due to soaring prices for accommodation and food
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt