BOYCOTT THE FAIRFIELD NEW YORK MANHATTAN & FOUR POINTS IN TIMES SQUARE
ENOUGh
We're fighting for
to survive in this City.
Our fight
to join the union
Workers voted to become members of
the Hotel & Gaming Trades Council, AFL-CIO (HTC) in 2022.
This job is heavy. I feel so much pressure at work sometimes that my heart starts to beat really fast. For me, it’s not just about the money. The main reason I
voted for the union is for a fair workload and to protect our
health – this is the most important.
– Aracelia Flores,
Room Attendant at the Fairfield New York Manhattan Times Square
I joined the union because I
want security. We want good pay, healthcare, and benefits. But we also want fairness.
I want management to
stop taking advantage of us.
– Xiao Feng Chen,
Floor Supervisor at the Four Points Midtown Times Square
Our fight
for living wages
Housekeeping workers make almost
than the union standard in NYC, on average
​71% of workers
could not meet a $400 emergency expense
88% of workers
spend over half of
their income on rent
Management wants to keep the money to themselves while we live in poverty. I’ve worked at the hotel for seven years, and I make $17.82 per hour.
After I pay my rent, I’m left with nothing. I can’t sleep at night worrying – what am I going
to do? How am I going to eat?
​
– María De Leon,
Room Attendant at the Fairfield New York Manhattan Times Square
Our fight
for healthcare
"This year I'm going without health insurance because they raised the rates," said Cheden Adedsang, 64 years old.
​
“I need to take medicine for my diabetes and high blood pressure. I have to pay for the prescriptions out of my own pocket now.”
​
“It worries me,” Cheden added. “I don’t know what I’d do if there’s an emergency.”
Most employees cannot afford the hotel’s prohibitively expensive health insurance
Our fight
for reasonable workloads
The hotel's employees are suffering under the weight of backing-breaking workloads.
Our union surveyed the workers about where they experience pain. This is what they said:
Everyday, management puts a
lot of pressure on us to work faster.
82%
of the workers reported experiencing pain due to work
59%
of workers have difficulty sleeping through the night due to the pain
- Ramona Garcia,
Room Attendant at the Fairfield New York Manhattan Times Square
After doing this job for 13 years, I have sciatica and pain in my arms and hands. I have to take Tylenol every single day.
The pain keeps me up at night.
Our fight
for a dignified retirement
My whole paycheck goes towards paying my bills. There's nothing left over for me to save for retirement.
A pension would change my
life, allow me to retire one day.
Most of the hotel's workers have nothing saved towards retirement.
– Yong Fen Lei, Room Attendant at the Four Points Midtown Times Square
Our fight
for a safe work environment
Workers have reported serious incidents at the hotels. When the union proposed common-sense solutions, management refused to agree.
Bedbug &
pest safety
Following several reports by employees of bedbugs at the property, our union proposed that the hotel be required to follow proper bedbug safety protocols including hiring a qualified pest control professional who follows best practices, inspecting rooms adjacent to one with a bedbug complaint, and immediately taping off quarantined rooms.
Infested guest room mattress at the hotel
The union also proposed that employees shouldn't be required to enter or clean quarantined rooms until they are certified as safe. The hotel has rejected our proposal, purporting that the hotels have an “active, timely and comprehensive responsiveness and abatement to any bed bug claims…”
Protections for workers
when criminal activity is suspected at the hotel
Workers have reported drug use in guest rooms, significant amounts of blood to be cleaned, and violence at the hotel. In one incident, a worker reported feeling pressured not to call the police during a suspected domestic dispute. Instead, a manager reportedly directed the employee to unlock the door to let the guest in, saying "I don't think he wants to get the cops involved because he's on parole."
​
The union has demanded that management agree to report evidence of suspected criminal activity to the police and that the hotel agree not to discipline or retaliate against an employee for notifying the police or other authorities of any suspected criminal activity at the hotel. The hotel has rejected this proposal. When confronted with specific allegations and evidence, counsel for the hotels denied that any action on its part was necessary. 
Mold safety
Adequate supplies
Employees have reported that on multiple occasions, management has instructed them to wash laundry with hot water or guest room soap when they run out of laundry detergent. The hotel has refused to agree to the union's proposal that the hotel only wash linen or towels with appropriate laundry detergent. The hotel claimed that further information was needed before it could take any action to resolve the concern.
There have been numerous reports by employees of mold at the hotel. The hotel has refused to agree to the union's proposal that the hotel have an Environmental, Health, and Safety firm perform air samples to detect the presence of mold on a regular basis and pay for and coordinate mold exposure testing for its employees.
"When I have to clean mold, they don't give me a respirator. I feel a burning sensation and it hurts to breathe."​
– Jason Deng,
Engineer at the Four Points Midtown Times Square
After months of bargaining over these concerns, the union has filed a complaint with OSHA over several hazards reported by workers involving a lack of bloodborne pathogen protections and chemical safety.
Secure hotel grounds
Following multiple reports by employees of homeless individuals reportedly entering the property, getting onto the hotel floors, sleeping in the stairwell, and stealing from the employee locker room, the union proposed that the hotel have security staff scheduled at all times. The hotel has rejected this proposal, saying that the report presented would not “justify” the union’s proposal and denying that any action by the hotel was necessary.
“We’re scared for our safety. I’ve had money stolen from my locker by a homeless person who was able to get access to the hotel’s basement. I have coworkers who are scared to walk the hotel floors alone."
– Danielva Rodriguez,
Room Attendant at the Four Points Midtown Times Square
“I’ve had to handle security incidents like confronting trespassers because when my coworkers called for security, no one responded. It’s nerve-wracking and makes me feel unsafe,” said Josh Reyes. “I work in the engineering department. I have no security training whatsoever.”
– Josh Reyes,
Engineer at the Fairfield New York Manhattan Times Square
Bio-hazardous and infectious materials
After the union became aware of employees cleaning up blood, feces, and needles without proper training or equipment, we made a proposal that the hotels train employees on best practices and provide appropriate equipment for cleaning such materials. Despite photo evidence, the hotel’s attorney claimed that more information was necessary for the hotel to respond and denied that any action was necessary.