News
Dues Increase, Previously Postponed, Going into Effect Sept. 1
August 25, 2022 2:58 PM
In July 2014, our membership voted by 89.9% to increase dues every September. Last year, in recognition of the hardships facing many members due to the pandemic, the Union’s Executive Board postponed the increase scheduled for 2021 until this September. Now that members are beginning to get back on their feet, the September 2021 and 2022 increases will be going into effect. Read more...
NYC Takes On Illegal Hotel Scheme
August 1, 2022 4:07 PM
New York City is suing to shut down a $2 million illegal hotel operation plaguing the East Side. The City has accused Real Estate Broker Arron Latimer and several co-defendants of operating illegal hotels via Airbnb in six residential buildings, including all eight residential apartments at 344 East 51st Street. By using fake host profiles to skirt City Law, Latimer is accused of renting out the apartments to 6,500 guests and generating $2 million over the last four years. Read more...
Union Secures Protections for Hotel, Casino, Club Workers in the Wake of Supreme Court’s Ruling on NY Gun Law
July 5, 2022 4:37 PM
For over 100 years, New York State had strict gun safety laws that severely limited the number of individuals who are able to carry firearms outside of their homes. This changed on June 23rd, when the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated key parts of the State’s law, opening the door for virtually anyone to now carry a firearm outside of their home in New York and New Jersey.
Immediately following the Court’s decision, our Union began working with elected officials and representatives in the hotel and gaming industries to do everything possible to protect our members while at work. On July 1st, the Union both secured protections in New York State law and came to a new agreement with the Hotel Association of New York City addressing firearm safety. Read more...
New York’s Plan to Convert Bad Hotels into Affordable Housing
July 5, 2022 9:50 AM
Over the last year, our allies in the New York State government have passed a series of new laws aimed at addressing two major problems afflicting our communities: the desperate need for affordable housing and out-of-control hotel development.
The legislation has had the full support of our Union as it protects good union jobs, addresses the problems caused by decades of overdevelopment, and helps tackle the City’s housing crisis. Read more...
20 Years and Still Going Strong – the Union’s Writing Contest of 2022 Offers Cash Prizes to High School Students
June 28, 2022 9:49 AM
Calling all budding writers and journalists! The Union is proud to announce the commencement of the 20th Anniversary of the annual Writing Contest. The rules of the contest have remained unchanged from previous years. Entries can be submitted by children and eligible dependents of Hotel and Gaming Trades Council and/or Local 6 members, who are high school students in grades 10, 11 or 12. All entries must be submitted by Friday, August 19, 2022. Read more...
HTC VOTES: Our Endorsements in NY's 2022 Primary
This year, New Yorkers will elect the next State Assembly, Governor, Lt. Governor, Comptroller, and Attorney General. These elected officials will be in charge of New York's continued economic recovery from COVID-19. Many of these races are extremely competitive and it is critical that we elect those individuals who will protect workers and prioritize fixing the problems faced by everyday New Yorkers in the months and years ahead. Read more...
HTC VOTES: Letitia James for New York Attorney General!
June 23, 2022 5:29 PM
Our Union supports New York State Attorney General Letitia James’ campaign for re-election in 2022. Since her election in 2018, Attorney General James has made it clear that her priority is fighting for working people and protecting middle class New Yorkers from the greed of big business and special interests groups. Read more...
HTC VOTES: Tom DiNapoli for New York State Comptroller
June 23, 2022 5:27 PM
Our Union is proud to endorse Tom DiNapoli for re-election as New York State Comptroller. The State’s Comptroller is responsible for making sure the State uses taxpayer money effectively, managing New York State’s Public Pension Fund for over 1 million public employees and retirees, and reporting on the State’s finances. Read more...
HTC Endorses Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for Re-Election
June 23, 2022 5:08 PM
Our Union is proud to endorse New York Senator and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for re-election in 2022.
“Over the last two years, Senator Schumer has been an unwavering friend to our Union’s 40,000 members,” remarked HTC President Rich Maroko. “Not only has he been willing to fight for us when we needed him the most, but he has proven that he has the skills to win big and bold improvements for America’s working class.” Read more...
Union Drives Are On the Rise!
June 13, 2022 11:06 AM
What do Apple, Amazon, Starbucks, Trader Joe’s, Target and REI all have in common? Aside from being some of the biggest and best-known brands in the country, workers at each of these companies have all recently moved to organize their shops! Read more...
HTC Congratulates Rob Menendez On His Democratic Primary Victory for New Jersey Congress
June 8, 2022 9:49 AM
On Tuesday, June 7th, Rob Menendez Jr. won the Democratic Primary for New Jersey’s 8th Congressional District in a landslide victory, taking more than 83% of the vote. Just a few days prior to the election, HTC members mobilized to support Menendez in Jersey City and get out the vote as part of a final push for his campaign. Read more...
HTC Marches to Support Women’s Reproductive Rights
June 6, 2022 4:27 PM
On Saturday, May 14th, HTC members took to the streets of Brooklyn alongside thousands of protestors to support women’s reproductive rights. Gathering under the banner of “Bans Off Our Bodies,” the group marched across the Brooklyn Bridge and into Foley Square in order to protest against overturning Roe v. Wade. Read more...
HTC Makes a Difference for Middlesex County Democrats
May 30, 2022 9:40 AM
On Saturday, May 28th, HTC members laced up their walking shoes to canvass for the primary election of a slate of candidates endorsed by Middlesex County Democrats. The Middlesex County Democrats have been allies to HTC in New Jersey, and our members were more than happy to mobilize for their endorsed candidates on the ticket from the top-down. Read more...
HTC Joins Mayor Adams to Advocate for Mayoral Control of NYC Schools
May 23, 2022 3:13 PM
On May 9th, HTC joined Mayor Eric Adams on the steps of City Hall to urge state lawmakers to extend mayoral control of New York City public schools. Read more...
Hotel Cleaning Act Passes in D.C. With Help From Local 25
May 23, 2022 11:26 AM
On April 1st, the City Council of Washington, D.C. passed the “Hotel Enhanced Cleaning and Notice of Service Disruption Emergency Act of 2022,” which established new hotel cleaning regulations in the District for the first time in 65 years. Read more...
Democratic Party Taking Action to Ban Its Consultants From Union-Busting
May 23, 2022 11:21 AM
The Democratic Party is taking steps to ban its consulting partners from engaging in anti-union activity. This happened following backlash to the illegal involvement of consulting firm, Global Strategy Group (GSG) in the fight against workers unionizing at Amazon, Inc. Read more...
HTC Congratulates Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis on Re-Election
May 23, 2022 11:15 AM
It was real stay-at-home weather in Bayonne, New Jersey on Saturday, May 7th. But the rain and the cold didn’t stop HTC members from taking to the streets to get out the vote for Mayor Jimmy Davis’ re-election. Read more...
HTC Members Show Up for Ras Baraka’s Re-Election as Mayor of Newark
May 23, 2022 10:35 AM
After many weeks of canvassing, HTC members can see the results of their volunteer work with the re-election of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. Ahead of the election, HTC hit the streets and knocked on thousands of doors in the run up to the election, knowing we could trust Baraka to continue giving union members a fair shake for the next four years. Read more...
32BJ Members Secure New Contract In Big Win For Labor
May 11, 2022 4:47 PM
On Tuesday, April 19th—the day before their existing contract was set to expire—members and supporters of 32BJ gathered for a final press conference after many long weeks of fighting for a new, fair agreement. “Brothers and sisters,” announced the president of the building workers union, “we’ve got a deal!” Read more...
New York Attorney General and Mayor Eric Adams Take Down Slumlords Running Illegal Hotel
April 19, 2022 12:14 PM
On February 23rd, New York Attorney General Letitia James and New York City Mayor Eric Adams took down a pair of Brooklyn-based slumlords who ran an unlawful short-term rental operation and illegally evicted tenants during the state’s eviction moratorium in 2020. The city reached a settlement of $2.25 million, requiring the slumlords to pay $250,000 in fines and turn over one of their Brooklyn properties, which will be converted into affordable housing. Read more...
