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    NORTH AMERICAN Newsline                                                  JUNE 05, 2026     |  The Indian Eye 28

                Local Leaders Praise Hotel Association

            of NYC After Union Ratifies New Contract

                      The hotel union voted yesterday to ratify a new contract, continuing the hotel industry’s status

              as a model employer, ensuring the World Cup will not be disrupted, and protecting the livelihoods of nearly
                                             400,000 New Yorkers who rely on the tourism economy

            NEERAJ DHAR                                                                                           tating for the Yemeni American com-
                                                                                                                  munity and for the broader network
            New York, NY
                                                                                                                  of immigrant entrepreneurs who
                  ity leaders are applauding the                                                                  depend on a healthy hospitality econ-
                  Hotel Association of New                                                                        omy. Thank you to the Hotel Asso-
            C York (HANYC) for its new,                                                                           ciation of New York City for getting
            nation-leading eight-year contract                                                                    a fair deal done and protecting the
            with the Hotel and Gaming Trades                                                                      workers, the visitors, and the small
            Council, AFL-CIO (HTC), which                                                                         businesses that all rely on a strong
            the union voted to ratify yesterday.                                                                  hotel industry,” said Joel Felicia-
            Despite  the  hotel  industry’s  signifi-                                                             no,  Chief  Operating  Officer,  Yeme-
            cant economic headwinds, the new                                                                      ni American Merchant Association
            contract continues its long history of                                                                (YAMA).
            providing the best wages and benefits                                                                    “The Garifuna community is one
            in the country, while adding provi-                                                                   of the largest Afro-Indigenous immi-
            sions to keep healthcare costs under                                                                  grant populations in New York City,
            control.                                                                                              and the Bronx is home to the largest
                With the new contract, HANYC                                                                      concentration of Garifuna people
            also succeeded in staving off a poten-                                                                outside of Central America. Thou-
            tial  hotel  union  strike  ahead  of  the                                                            sands of our community members
            World Cup that would have been dev-                                                                   work in the city’s hotels and across
            astating for the city’s economy, ho-                                                                  the broader tourism and hospitali-
            tels, hotel workers, and the 400,000                                                                  ty industry - they are housekeepers,
            tourism and hospitality workers ho-                                                                   banquet servers, bellhops, cooks, and
            tels support. HANYC and HTC an-                                                                       front-desk staff who came to this
            nounced the agreement on Monday.                                                                      country to build a better life for their
               “This contract is a win for our                                                                    families. The wage increases, the
            hospitality industry, our economy,                                                                    continuation of nearly fully employ-
            and for a city that works best when                                                                   er-paid healthcare, and the new em-
            the people who keep it running can                                                                    ployer-funded housing and childcare
            afford to live here too,” said Mayor  demic demand,” said Vijay Dandapa- industry. This contract helps provide   benefits in this contract will make a
            Zohran Mamdani.                   ni, President and CEO of HANYC.   the stability needed for the nearly  real, immediate difference in house-
                Speaker Julie Menin also ap-     “The New York City hotel in- 400,000  New  Yorkers  who  rely  on   holds across the Bronx. Thank you to
            plauded the hotel industry for reach- dustry, represented by HANYC, de- the hospitality industry for work, as   the Hotel Association of New York
            ing  a  contract  agreement:  “Con-  serves credit for working with us to   well as  the  thousands  of  small busi- City for delivering a deal that honors
            gratulations to  the  members  of  the   secure  the  best  pay  and  benefits  in   ness owners across the city whose   the dignity of immigrant workers and
            New York Hotel and Gaming Trades   the country, as well as protections   restaurants and shops have the most  protects the families who depend on
            Council and to the hotel industry for  for workers that should be a nation- to gain from a successful World Cup,”  this industry,” said José Francisco
            reaching an agreement on a new con- al model-all of which will allow our  said Dr. Jean G. Joseph, President of  Ávila, Chairman of the Board, Gari-
            tract for workers. I want to thank the   workers and the city’s tourism econ- the Caribbean American Chamber of  funa Coalition USA.
            hotel industry for their leadership   omy  to  thrive,”  said  Rich  Maroko,  Commerce.                  “The Queens Hispanic Cham-
            and the important role they play in  President of the Hotel and Gaming   “The Yemeni American Mer- ber of Commerce represents Lati-
            New York’s economic vitality.”    Trades Council.                   chant Association represents thou- no-owned businesses across the most
                HANYC President and CEO Vijay     Organizations and leaders in the   sands of immigrant small-business   diverse county in the United States
            Dandapani  and  HTC  President  Rich   hospitality and tourism sectors applaud- owners across New York City - the  - and our members know that what
            Maroko also celebrated the win.   ed HANYC  for securing the contract.  bodegas, delis, and corner stores that  happens in the hotel industry shapes
               “We are proud the New York        “The small businesses repre- anchor working-class neighborhoods   what happens in Queens. The hotel
            hotel industry will continue to pro-  sented by the Caribbean American   in every borough. Our businesses live   workforce is overwhelmingly  Lati-
            vide the best pay and benefits in the  Chamber of Commerce, and the  and breathe alongside the tourism   no and immigrant, and the wages,
            country,  especially  since  we  are  fac- many workers from immigrant com- economy that hotels make possible.  healthcare, and new housing and
            ing tremendous economic headwinds   munities who have built family-sup- When hotels are strong and work-  childcare  benefits  in  this  contract
            and the highest taxes in the nation,  porting careers in tourism and hospi- ers are paid fairly, immigrant small   will reach families across our bor-
            have  lost  20,000  hotel rooms since   tality, will benefit tremendously from   businesses thrive. A strike during the   ough. With the World Cup arriving
            COVID, and are still below pre-pan- this agreement provided by the hotel  World Cup would have been devas-   Continued on next page... >>

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