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Mental Health and Emotional Wellness
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought on feelings of fear, uneasiness, and sadness for many. While the crisis has highlighted the importance of our physical wellness and safety, it is also important during these unprecedented and difficult times to preserve our mental and emotional well-being.
For this reason, your Union has compiled a list of resources and programs for mental health and emotional wellness that you may find helpful during the pandemic. We have included a selection of those resources here. Read more...
Crisis Assistance Programs
The economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic have had a devastating impact on the ability of millions of Americans to meet their most critical needs: housing and food. If you and your family are unable to pay your rent or mortgage, and/or are experiencing food insecurity, the Union has compiled a list of resources that may be available to you at this time. Read more...
New Weekend Pharmacy Hours
In an effort to protect members and Health Center staff, and to make sure that healthcare professionals are where they are needed most, the hours of each Health Center and Health Center pharmacy have been reduced. These reduced hours will allow for Health Center staff to rotate their schedules, which will help limit the risk of infection. The new hours began in March and will continue until further notice. Read more...
3,000 HTC-represented casino workers return to work, many to even better jobs than before
In early September, after nearly six months of being shuttered due to COVID-19, New York Governor Cuomo permitted the state’s casinos to reopen at 25% capacity and 3,000 unionized casino workers returned to work.
While non-union hotel and gaming workers across the country face hazardous working conditions amidst COVID-19, HTC-represented casino workers are in the very rare position where their protections on the job have gotten stronger and their wages and benefits have improved during the pandemic. Read more...
Using Our Political Power to Pass Safety Legislation in New Jersey
After weeks of working with our allies in the NJ State Legislature and the Governor’s Office, our Union is proud to announce that a new law has been signed in New Jersey that will protect hotel workers’ safety and jobs in the era of COVID-19 and beyond. The law will require daily room cleans, EPA-certified cleaning agents, and minimum staffing at the front desk. This law is the very first of its kind anywhere in the country. It went into effect on Thursday, June 25, 2020. Read more...
NYC City Council Passes and Mayor de Blasio Signs Law Protecting Hotel Workers and Guests
Last Wednesday, by a vote of 45 to 4, the NYC City Council passed, and on Monday, Mayor Bill de Blasio signed, a new law which will provide vital security for New York City hotel workers, and which will also greatly enhance consumer protections for people traveling to our city.
HTC President Rich Maroko commented, “40,000 HTC members and their families applaud and thank the mayor, the speaker, and all our friends in the City Council for acting decisively to enact critical measures to prevent a small, unscrupulous segment of the hotel owners in this city from exploiting the COVID-19 disaster to profiteer. We are fortunate to have elected officials in this city and state who have acted courageously and responsibly in these terrible times.” Read more...
Can I receive payment for my paid time off to extend my healthcare?
To meet this emergency, on August 25th, HTC President Rich Maroko convened a special meeting of the trustees of the Funds and convinced the trustees to amend the plan so that payment of paid time off would extend healthcare coverage. The trustees also approved a temporary plan that allows the workers we represent to maintain partial healthcare coverage. Read more...
What Options Will Laid Off Workers Have When the Healthcare Extension Won by the Union Ends?
During this catastrophe, the federal government utterly failed the people it is supposed to serve and the toll has been more horrific even than most American wars. Our Union, however, has moved mountains to win extraordinary protections and special benefits to assist the workers we represent to get through this emergency. For those members who are losing their healthcare coverage in the upcoming months, you will have a number of options to either continue your existing healthcare coverage or find alternative healthcare through the state or with a private insurance company. Read more...
What happens when the emergency funding of the Benefit Funds ends in January?
On September 11th, the Union won an arbitration that requires most hotels covered by the IWA and Division A contracts to provide three additional months of healthcare coverage to workers who have been laid off due to the pandemic. In addition to bringing peace of mind to nearly 30,000 members and their families, the decision provides critical funding to the health benefit funds for the rest of 2020.
“This emergency funding will allow us to run the health centers at full capacity for the rest of the year” said Dr. Jacobson, the Chief Executive Officer of the Funds. “I am very thankful that the Union was able to secure additional funding during this crisis. Without the emergency funding, there is no doubt we would have already had to scale back our operations.” Read more...
Members are not Required to Pay Union Dues While on an Extended Layoff
Many members have asked if they are responsible for paying union dues while laid off due to this crisis. The answer is no. In accordance with the HTC by-laws, if you are on an extended layoff for a period of two or more full consecutive calendar months, you are not required to pay union dues. Furthermore, the Union made the decision and has instructed employers NOT to deduct dues from your severance pay. Instead, you can have your membership suspended.
Here are the basics that you should understand about the impact of that decision on you and your union. Read more...
