Pod Hotel Employees Have Their First HTC Contract!

We are happy to report that employees of the Pod Hotel have their first HTC contract! Negotiations took place over a period of more than a year and the agreement that was reached through those talks was recently ratified unanimously by the employees. As a result of their first contract, Pod employees are receiving wage increases of $5 or $6 an hour, depending on their department and wage rate. In addition, the employees now have the option of free medical—a big change from their previous health plan, which had costs so high many could not participate.

We should add that the Union has recently succeeded in obtaining first contracts at four other newly organized hotels: The Hyatt Times Square, The Out NYC, the Spring Hill Suites and the Hyatt Jersey City. Many of the Pod hotel employees are seen here, following the vote to ratify their first-time HTC contract. Seated on the right are HTC Rank and File Organizer Ha Chhao Yi and HTC Vice President and General Counsel Richard Maroko.