Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Attorney General Letitia James, New York City Comptroller Mark Levine, City Council Speaker Julie Menin, and more joined over 200 members of the Hotel & Gaming Trades Council yesterday at the Fairfield New York Manhattan Times Square and the Four Points Midtown Times Square in support of the unfair labor practice boycott and picket line that began Monday evening.

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Hotel and Gaming Trades Council members rally with Mayor Mamdani in front of the Fairfield New York Manhattan Times Square and the Four Points Midtown Times Square

The workers voted to become members of the Hotel & Gaming Trades Council, AFL-CIO (HTC) in October of 2022. Throughout years of negotiations for their first union contract, the union has filed multiple charges accusing the hotel of committing unfair labor practices – including failing to bargain in good faith, discriminating against workers because of their support for the union, encouraging workers to get rid of the union, replacing union positions with subcontracted workers, and more. The workers and their union have put up a robust picket line and are encouraging customers to boycott the hotels and cancel their stays until management follows the law and treats these workers fairly.

In addition to Mayor Mamdani, Attorney General James, Comptroller Levine, and Council Speaker Menin, the following were in attendance: Central Labor Council President Brendan Griffith, former Comptroller Brad Lander, State Senator Julia Salazar, Council Member Virginia Maloney, Assembly Members Claire Valdez, Alex Bores, Tony Simone, and Catalina Cruz, and Assembly candidates Brian Romero, Samantha Kattan, and Illapa Sairitupac.

“The workers at these hotels get paid poverty wages - most make less than half of what union workers make,” said Rich Maroko, President of the Hotel & Gaming Trades Council. “These workers are fighting for the ability to pay their rent, to buy groceries for their families, to see a doctor when they are sick, and to be treated with dignity and respect at work. They have been fighting for years for a fair contract and management has dragged their feet at every turn and refused to bargain in good faith – putting these brave workers through a painful ordeal. They deserve the same wages, benefits, and protections that are standard across NYC’s unionized hotel industry.”

“Our hotel workers are the lifeblood of our tourism industry, ensuring guests and visitors are welcome and informed of what this great state has to offer,” Governor Kathy Hochul said. “The dedicated teams at the Fairfield Times Square and Four Points Midtown deserve the same rights, protections, and benefits as their unionized peers across New York City. Equity isn't optional—it's the standard."

“No one who works full time should have to choose between making rent and filling their prescription. No one should spend their days straining to make tourists feel comfortable only to spend their nights in pain from back-breaking workloads. No one should have to watch as HTC’s historic industry-wide contract goes into effect today for thousands of their colleagues across our city only to be deprived of those very wages and benefits. But above all, no one should forget this very simple truth: New York City is a union town. And we will always stand union strong,” said New York City Mayor Zohran K. Mamdani.

“Hotel workers are the face of our city to the millions of travelers who come here from across the world, and the workers who make New York’s hospitality industry thrive deserve dignity and respect,” said City Council Speaker Julie Menin. “But for the workers at the Fairfield and Four Points Hotels, they have not been treated with dignity or fairness. After waiting four years for a fair contract, affordable health insurance, and wages they can build a future on, they deserve better. The City Council stands proudly with our Hotel and Gaming Trades Council family in their fight for a fair contract.”

Hotel Guests: Know Your Rights

Picket lines may result in uncertainty for guests and event planners, disruptions, and noise. Under NYC law, hotels are required to notify guests of significant service disruptions, including strikes and picket lines. The law mandates that consumers be permitted to cancel without penalty if notified of such a service disruption after booking.

For more information, visit the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection’s website.

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