Newsfeed
Fall 2024Political action
HTC Volunteers Tell Voters: “Put workers first”
In the days leading up to Election Day, more than 140 union volunteers got out the vote for candidates who put working people first. HTC volunteers were stationed at polling sites across New York City’s five boroughs and in New Jersey, distributing thousands of flyers and speaking with voters in key races. Our members made sure voters knew which local candidates would have the backs of working people.
Long Island Victory!
In Long Island, a task force of volunteers from HTC and UNITE HERE Local 100 knocked on 68,000 doors to help elect Laura Gillen to Congress. Two years ago, Laura Gillen ran for this congressional seat and lost to the Republican candidate by a slim margin. This year, the seat flipped. Gillen successfully defeated the incumbent Republican candidate by roughly 6,000 votes. Our union’s ground campaign undoubtedly played a critical role in this race.
"This was my first election season volunteering with my union. I was paired up with another union volunteer to knock on doors for Laura Gillen in Long Island. We spent multiple weeks really talking to voters in the district. I found a community with HTC. Canvassing was our way of giving back, of making sure all of our voices could be heard."
— RAHREEY ROGERS, Cook at the Hilton Short Hills
Industry news
NYC’s Four Seasons Hotel Reopens to the Public
On November 15, 2024, after four years of closure for renovations, the Four Seasons hotel and its iconic restaurant, “The Garden,” reopened to the public. It was an exciting and highly anticipated day for the union members at the hotel, who are returning to their jobs at the Four Seasons after a four-year hiatus with their full seniority, thanks to their union contract.
Organizing highlights
Recent contract wins
del Lago Resort & Casino
August 15, 2024: Upstate victory! Union members at del Lago Resort & Casino in Waterloo, New York, overwhelmingly voted to extend their contract. This extension secures wage increases, high-quality affordable healthcare, and robust on-the-job protections for two more years, through March 2028. Congratulations!
New Meadowlands Racetrack
September 6, 2024: This past Fall, there was plenty to celebrate for workers at the New Meadowlands Racetrack in New Jersey. Under a new contract, workers’ wages will rise by 26% over the next three years. For the first time, employees at the racetrack will have access to free legal assistance through the union’s Pre-Paid Legal Fund. The new contract also provides an increased pay rate for tipped employees when taking vacation; increases vacation and sick/personal day entitlements; and provides for paid parental leave for new parents!
"We used to be responsible for customer walkouts - that’s crazy! The new contract spells it out in black and white that members cannot be held responsible for breakages, shortages, or customer walkouts." – KENS ESTIME, Line Cook at New Meadowlands Racetrack
Recent organizing victories
voco Fiorello LaGuardia East
September 26, 2024: Housekeeping workers at the voco Fiorello LaGuardia East in Flushing, Queens joined our union.
Nine Orchard
October 8, 2024: Our union welcomed more than 40 workers at the Nine Orchard in the Lower East Side into our ranks.
In 2024, our contract enforcement team did not rest:
150+ cases filed for arbitration
280+ side agreements were negotiated
When we called, you answered:
300+ union delegates completed the Delegate Training Program
6,000+ volunteers showed up to union actions
15,000+ hours spent volunteering to keep the union strong
The fight for affordable housing
More than half of NYC renters are considered rent-burdened – paying more than 30% of their income toward housing. Our members are directly impacted by this affordability crisis. This is why our union has set out to be a vocal and active leader in the fight for affordable housing. A problem so pervasive must be tackled from every possible angle, including our city and state legislatures. In the Fall, we took some promising steps forward.
CITY OF YES
100,000+ New Homes
This past Fall, HTC members attended multiple rallies in support of the “City of YES for Housing Opportunity.” City of YES is a plan to create more than 100,000 new homes across New York City in the coming years. We need more affordable housing in our City, and City of YES is designed to do just that.
FARE ACT
A “FARE” Rental Market
The NYC City Council has voted to pass the Fairness in Apartment Rental Expenses act – aptly known as the F.A.R.E. Act. This law, sponsored by Council Member Chi Ossé, would protect renters from the widespread and often exploitative practice of forced broker fees.
OPPOSING INTRO 1107
Keep Airbnb Out of NYC!
For over a decade, our union has worked to protect New York City’s housing market from illegal short-term rentals. In 2021, we helped pass Local Law 18. The law was implemented in 2023. It reduced the number of Airbnb listings in the City by 80 percent. But now, Airbnb is reigniting the fight.
A new bill, Intro 1107, threatens to reverse this progress and would undoubtedly lead to a surge in short-term rentals, reducing the City’s housing supply, driving up rents, and speeding up the affordable housing crisis. Union members joined the “Tenants Not Tourists” coalition to demand that the City Council prioritize the needs of NYC renters in the midst of an affordable housing crisis over the interests of billion-dollar companies like Airbnb.
Union events
THE 2024 CITIZENSHIP FAIR
More HTC Members to Become U.S. Citizens
This past September, our union supported another 40 union members in their journey to become U.S. citizens. For the second year, our union was able to partner with the NYC Central Labor Council to provide our members assistance with each component of the application process: from screening for eligibility, to assembling the required documents, to a lawyer’s review of the completed citizenship application – all free of charge. Our union also helped to cover the cost of the government’s $760 application fee.
"When Luz came to the United States from Barranquilla, Colombia, roughly 40 years ago, she thought she might become an American citizen at some point. But “always I said ‘later, later, later,’” as she put it. “Time flies away here.” Now nearing retirement and wanting to more easily travel between New York and Colombia, where her 90-year-old father still lives, Luz said the time had come. A hotel housekeeper and a member of the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, she turned to the union for help. Luz was one of about 100 legal permanent residents who attended the New York City Central Labor Council’s second annual citizenship drive last Saturday. The event highlighted the demand for immigration and naturalization support among workers and their families, and revealed how unions are tapping into New York’s nonprofit infrastructure to fill that need."
— THE CHIEF, “Dozens of union workers attend Central Labor Council’s citizenship drive”
UNION DELEGATE TRAINING
300+ Delegates Complete Trainings
This past September, our union supported another 40 union members in their journey to become U.S. citizens. For the second year, our union was able to partner with the NYC Central Labor Council to provide our members assistance with each component of the application process: from screening for eligibility, to assembling the required documents, to a lawyer’s review of the completed citizenship application – all free of charge. Our union also helped to cover the cost of the government’s $760 application fee.
The union’s delegate training program got off to a successful start, with over 300 delegates from NYC and New Jersey shops completing the curriculum over the past six months.
“The training gave me ideas for how to handle situations according to the union contract and how to be strategic about issues that would make our local and our shops stronger.
— ROBERT PAGAN, Delegate for 23 years
Registration Open for Winter Delegate Trainings!
The next round of delegate trainings will begin at the end of January! Delegates covered by the IWA and GRIWA contracts are eligible to join.
THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR
Children’s Holiday Party!
On one of the happiest days of the year, over 160 members and their children gathered at the union’s headquarters to celebrate the holidays. Santa Claus and the union’s elves led the kids in dancing and crafts. They enjoyed building clay figurines, making ornaments, decorating picket signs for the ‘Elves on Strike!’, face painting, balloon animals and legos.
