New York City’s influential hotel workers’ union is preparing for a possible strike if a new contract isn’t negotiated before the FIFA World Cup. This development could significantly disrupt an event expected to attract millions of visitors and generate substantial revenue for the city, as reported by The Post.
The Hotel Trade Council has proactively set up a website, fifahotelstrike.org, to address the potential strike scenario. This site provides visitors with options to find hotels that won’t be affected by a strike and allows them to express their support for hotel employees.
The union has also organized a rally scheduled for Friday, featuring city officials advocating for improved contract terms. This coincides with the City Council’s initial hearing on the preparations for hosting the international soccer tournament.
Vijay Dandapani, President and CEO of the Hotel Association of New York City, criticized the union, accusing it of holding the city at ransom despite having favorable current agreements.
“The union’s threat of a strike during the World Cup is extremely premature and jeopardizes a major economic opportunity for both hotel workers and the city,” Dandapani stated. “Moreover, the union’s president himself has described our existing contract as the ‘gold standard’ for its members.”
The current agreement provides housekeepers with an hourly wage of $39.87, along with healthcare benefits and a pension plan.
The existing contract, covering over 27,000 workers across over 250 properties, is set to expire July 1 — right in the middle of the June 11 to July 19 tournament.
The soccer matches are estimated to bring over $3 billion in economic activity to both New York and New Jersey, which are co-hosting the games at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.
Rich Maroko, the union president, insisted that HTC does not want to go on strike.
“Our goal is to make sure our members are fairly compensated with the strong wages and benefits they deserve,” he said.
“We encourage visitors to come to our city and enjoy the games, and to use this website as a resource to stay informed about the labor status of their hotels in the coming months,” Maroko said, referring to the website.
The website was launched so that tourists could register for updates on the labor status of their hotels during the matches.
The New York City Council’s Economic Development Committee will be holding an oversight meeting for World Cup preparations on Friday, with members of the union testifying and holding a rally at City Hall prior to the hearing.
Neither the mayor nor the council responded to a request for comment.
