A major minimum wage increase campaign has begun in San Diego for hospitality workers.

The Times of San Diego reports:

“One day before a scheduled City Council vote, Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera joined hospitality workers, union leaders and small business owners Monday to announce support for the Hospitality Minimum Wage Ordinance.

The ordinance, proposed by Elo-Rivera, seeks to gradually increase the minimum wage for San Diego’s hospitality and tourism workers to $25 over a five-year period.

According to the staff report, the ordinance would apply to hotels with at least 150 rooms, amusement parks including SeaWorld and event centers such as Petco Park.

‘For decades, the tourism industry has known that city hall worked for them, much more than the city worked for its workers and everyday San Diegans,’ Elo-Rivera said at the briefing. ‘Those days are over. No more. We work for the people. We work for San Diegans, and because we work for San Diegans, we’re going to fight to ensure that every worker in the city has the dignity they deserve, the fairness they deserve and the future that San Diego’s working families deserve.’

While Elo-Rivera’s original proposal would have established the $25 minimum wage on Jan. 1, 2026, the ordinance was updated to reflect a gradual increase following opposition from local hotels, businesses and the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Opponents have argued that the wage increase will manifest in higher prices and job cuts, hurting businesses and the local economy. However, labor researchers and small business owners at the rally argued the opposite.”

For the rest of the story, visit the Times of San Diego here.