On August 1, California’s lieutenant governor and other elected officials urged Taylor Swift to postpone her Los Angeles concerts in solidarity with striking hotel workers. In an open letter signed by Lt. Gov.
Eleni Kounalakis and numerous state and local politicians, they highlighted that Swift’s tour generates significant revenue for the region’s hotels, leading some properties to double or triple their prices due to her performances.
The letter also shed light on the struggles faced by hotel workers, such as housekeepers, who cannot afford to live close to their workplaces and, in some cases, even sleep in their cars, risking the loss of their homes.
The politicians emphasized that these workers are currently fighting for better wages, improved health care benefits, higher pension contributions, and less strenuous workloads. Over 60 hotels, including properties owned by major chains like Marriott and Hilton, have had their contracts expired, and Unite Here Local 11, representing approximately 30,000 hotel workers, is negotiating on their behalf.
Swift’s representatives have not yet responded to the letter. Her six sold-out shows at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles are scheduled to start on August 3. Lt. Gov. Kounalakis, a Democrat planning to run for governor in 2026, is the highest-ranking official in the state to make this plea.
The letter received support from various officials, including mayors of several cities, Assembly Majority Leader Issac Bryan, and state senators Dave Min and Maria Elena Durazo.