News
EDITORIAL: The peculiar institution of US immigration policy
August 6, 2011 8:00 PM
Yet another new hotel for Manhattan
July 12, 2011 8:00 PM
According to articles in the New York Observer and Citybiz Real Estate, a new hotel will rise at 523-525 Greenwich Street, between Spring and Vandam Streets. The site was reportedly sold to Fortuna Realty Hotel Soho LLC for $12.7 million.
Republican outrage over NLRB efforts to enforce labor law against Boeing
July 12, 2011 8:00 PM
In a move that has provoked the fury of America's right-wing politicians, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a complaint on April 20 against the Boeing Company for transferring aircraft assembly work out of state in retaliation against its unionized workers. That case took a step forward on June 14 as both sides appeared before a Seattle administrative law judge (ALJ) for an evidentiary hearing.
Hotels keep going up: what does this mean for HTC members?
July 12, 2011 8:00 PM
Despite an unprecedented surge of hotel-building in the city from 2008 through 2010, an additional 40 hotels are already scheduled for completion by 2013. A significant number of these new hotels are (or will be) non-union and determined to remain that way. Every non-union hotel is a direct threat to the continuation of the rights, protections, and benefits generations of our members have fought for and won.
Wisconsin anti-union law now in effect
July 12, 2011 8:00 PM
The anti-union, anti-worker law that triggered massive demonstrations and focused global attention on Wisconsin went into effect on June 29. A 4-3 decision by the state's highest court cleared the way for its implementation.
Union agreement shields Embassy Suites employees during temporary closure
July 12, 2011 8:00 PM
The Embassy Suites in lower Manhattan closed for extensive renovations in January 2011, but thanks to an agreement negotiated between the union and the employer, the jobs, healthcare coverage, and contract rights of unionized Embassy Suites employees have been protected and improved.
A message to our members from Union President Peter Ward
July 4, 2011 8:00 PM
I would like to address some of the issues that have been raised as part of the recent events concerning the Dominique Strauss-Kahn case and one of our members employed at the Sofitel. We recognize that Dominique Strauss-Kahn and this member of our Union are the only two people who know for certain what happened in the hotel's presidential suite that led to his arrest and to a surge of international news coverage. We chose to support our member. Just as Mr. Strauss-Kahn has great resources at his disposal to support him, our member has a right to know there are people on her side, including her friends and co-workers, and her Union.
Boathouse employees vote to authorize unfair labor practice strike
February 6, 2011
On June 23, union supporters at the Boathouse restaurant in Central Park voted overwhelmingly (83 to 1) to authorize the leadership of the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, AFL-CIO to call an unfair labor practice strike against Boathouse management. The authorization vote means that a strike at the Boathouse is imminent, and could be called at a moment's notice by the President of the union.
Victory for workers at D.C.‘s Madison hotel
June 12, 2011 8:00 PM
152 workers at the Madison Hotel in Washington D.C. won big when, on April 2, the hotel's new owner finally agreed to honor the terms of the existing union contract, with significant improvements.
NYC retains #1 ranking as world’s foremost economic center
June 12, 2011 8:00 PM
Despite shifting economies, the Partnership for New York City and PricewaterhouseCoopers have ranked New York City the economic capital of the world for the fourth of the four years they have collaborated on this joint study.
Arizona violates U.S. Constitution to attack unions
June 12, 2011 8:00 PM
The National Labor Relations Board filed a federal lawsuit against the State of Arizona on May 6 and announced it expected to file a similar suit against the State of South Dakota within the next several weeks, to challenge recent changes to the two states' constitutions designed to prevent workers from organizing unions, and blatantly violative of the United States Constitution.
Room Attendants voice support for Sofitel worker
June 10, 2011 8:00 PM
HTC negotiates first contract in New Jersey
June 7, 2011 8:00 PM
Workers at the Sheraton Mahwah have unanimously ratified their first contract negotiated by the Hotel Trades Council. The ratification vote took place on Friday, April 22, and Saturday, April 23, and the excellent new collective bargaining agreement was approved by a vote of 67 in favor of the contract, and 0 opposed.
NJ and Upstate delegates spend the day in NYC
June 7, 2011 8:00 PM
95 of our newer delegates from New Jersey and the capital region of New York saw firsthand some of HTC's impressive accomplishments during a day in NYC. They and their coworkers are among the more than 2,500 hotel and gaming workers the Hotel Trades Council now represents in those regions.
Omni Berkshire apologizes for disrespecting union activist
June 7, 2011 8:00 PM
On April 8, union representatives demanded and got a public apology from Omni Berkshire Human Resources director Natasha Augustine for behaving rudely and disrespectfully to Rank-and-File Organizer Priscilla Molina.
Historic telegrams found at union
Recently, a union staff member discovered four historic telegrams, dating back to March 1965, documenting our union's early involvement in the civil rights movement. The telegrams were sent by our union at the request of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. after the murder, in Selma, Alabama, of Rev. James Reeb by a racist white mob.
NYC cracks down on “illegal hotels”
June 7, 2011 8:00 PM
Under a new state law effective May 1, New York City has started cracking down on owners who operate their residential buildings as "illegal hotels". Inspectors from the New York City Office of Special Enforcement started conducting inspections of properties, many of which had already been the subject of complaints by the long-term tenants who resided in the buildings.
$173,000 in back pay for St. Regis butlers
Twenty-two butlers in the housekeeping department at the St. Regis recently received sizable checks from their hotel in settlement of a grievance the union filed on their behalf. On the same day the arbitration hearing before the Impartial Chairperson was to begin, the hotel entered into the voluntary settlement agreement with the union.
Our union expands into New Jersey and Upstate
June 7, 2011 8:00 PM
During the past six months, our union has assumed a major new role as the collective bargaining representative for more than 2,500 additional hotel and gaming workers in 32 shops in northern New Jersey and the Capital District of New York State.
Plan for new hotel across from Museum of Modern Art is revived
June 7, 2011 8:00 PM
After months of uncertainty, it again appears a hotel possibly paired with condominiums will go up on the site of the Donnell Library across from the Museum of Modern Art on West 53rd Street.
