California Lieutenant Governor Urges Taylor Swift to Delay LA Concerts Amid Ongoing Hotel Strike

Multiple California politicians have urged Taylor Swift to reschedule her Los Angeles concerts due to the current hotel worker strike. Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis and several other elected officials from across the state signed an open letter on Tuesday, August 1, in collaboration with Unite Here Local 11, a campaign representing hotel workers. The letter was addressed to Swift, 33, before her upcoming Eras concert series at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. Swift's performances are set to begin on Thursday, August 3, and will run for six consecutive nights, with all tickets already sold out.

Hotel workers are in a battle for their survival, fighting for fair pay to sustain their livelihoods. In response to their plight, they have taken the initiative to go on strike and now seek your support. Addressing the end of their contracts in July, this issue has impacted major hotel chains such as Marriott and Hilton. Prior to the expiration, the workers embarked on negotiations for improved wages, enhanced healthcare benefits, increased pension contributions, and lighter workloads. However, as the hotels did not concede to these demands, the workers made the decision to commence their strike on the weekend of July 4th.

Kounalakis, aged 57, is one of the prominent figures listed in the letter addressed to Swift. Alongside Kounalakis, the letter is signed by Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Janice Hahn, state senator Dave Min, State Assembly Majority Leader Issac Bryan, and multiple mayors from cities in Southern California. Notably, James T. Butts Jr., the mayor of Inglewood, has not participated.

In a statement provided to Politico on Wednesday, August 2, Kounalakis expressed solidarity with Unite HERE in their pursuit of fair wages. Further, Kounalakis aimed to use this moment as an opportunity to shed light on the hardworking individuals who act as the driving force behind our economy.

Taylor Swift David Fisher/Shutterstock

Kounalakis, a Democrat, recently revealed her intention to run for governor in 2026. Interestingly, she was spotted at one of Swift's concerts in Santa Clara, California just last week. Taking to Twitter on July 30, Kounalakis shared footage from the show, simply stating, "Long story short I went to the Eras Tour."

The Eras Tour, which began in March, grabbed the attention of prominent politicians throughout the United States due to the Ticketmaster debacle. In November 2022, Ticketmaster faced criticism for significant service failures and delays on its website, resulting in many Swift fans being unable to purchase tour tickets.

Swift made headlines recently for allegedly granting truck drivers working on her tour a $100,000 bonus as a token of appreciation for their hard work. According to TMZ, she distributed a total of $5 million in monetary gifts. Additionally, Swift reportedly extended bonuses to her tour band, dancers, caterers, lighting and sound technicians, and other staff members.

Swift has not publicly commented on the open letter.