Hoboken Hotel Workers Unionize, Win Better Wages And Benefits

HOBOKEN, NJ — Chalk up a “W” for hotel workers in Hoboken. The employees of the city’s only hotel – the W Hoboken – have approved their first union contract.

On Tuesday, the Hotel Trades Council (HTC) announced that 70 employees at the Marriott International-operated hotel will receive “a number of robust benefits,” including large increases in wages and benefits, paid-time-off for voting on election days, panic buttons for housekeepers and protections for immigrant workers.

The HTC represents 36,000 hotel and casino workers, including more than 5,000 in New Jersey. It’s more than doubled its New Jersey membership over the past five years, spokespeople said.

Union leaders said that benefits in the new contract include:

• An up-front payment of almost $6,000 per worker
• Additional back-pay for some workers of $5,000 or more
• Average wage increases of almost $2.50 per hour immediately, and almost $6.00 over the life of the contract.
• Affordable health benefits: $25/month for quality family health benefits
• A defined benefit pension plan
• Voting rights: up to 4 hours of paid-time-off on any election day for workers to go vote, and the ability for them to register to vote at work.
• Panic buttons made available for housekeepers to remotely summon help if they are threatened, and a requirement for hotel management to take action against any guest who harasses or assaults a worker.
• “Sanctuary Workplace” protections for immigrant workers

The contract will cover about 70 room attendants, front-desk agents, banquet workers, HTC spokespeople said.

Rich Maroko, vice president of the Hotel Trades Council, said that the union was “incredibly proud” to have won such an outstanding contract.

“This contract will truly change what it means to be a hotel worker in Hoboken,” Maroko said. “These workers will now be able to count on the middle-class wages and benefits that they deserve, in addition to a number of new on-the-job protections.”

The new contract at the W Hoboken was approved just weeks after the Hoboken City Council gave thumbs-up to plans for the construction of a new Hilton hotel in the city. The developer of that hotel, KMS Development Partners, has signed a labor harmony agreement with the Hotel Trades Council, which “guarantees positive labor relations with hotel workers,” union leaders said.

• See related article: Hoboken Council OKs Hilton Hotel Plans; 'Big Win,' Mayor Says

All in all, it signals a bright future for hotel workers throughout the Mile Square City for years to come, according to Mayor Ravinder Bhalla.

“I want to offer my sincere congratulations to the employees at the W Hoboken for winning a contract that offers them the wages and benefits they deserve,” Bhalla said. “As employees of Hoboken’s only hotel, they are our ambassadors, and the City of Hoboken truly appreciates the hard work they do every day.”

Bhalla said that it was “gratifying” to see the city’s hotel workers set this standard, especially at a time of heightened interest from developers in building new hotels in Hoboken.

“We want not only new hotels, but also quality jobs for Hoboken’s workforce,” Bhalla said. “I want to thank the Hotel Trades Council for their hard work and success in advocating for Hoboken’s hospitality workers.”

• See related article: NJ and NY Airport Workers Win 'Highest Min. Wage In US' After Long Battle
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Photo: Hotel Trades Council