The Hotel Trades Council (HTC) doubled down on their endorsement Thursday of Governor Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, and New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli for re-election.
The second floor of 305 West 44th St. played host to an auditorium crammed with hotel union members chanting “Kathy.” HTC—who first pledged their support for Hochul back in December— lauded the first female New York governor and her fellow endorsed elected officials for their contributions to labor workers and unions.
“They don’t just say the right things. They do the right things,” said HTC president Rich Maroko to a room swirling with raised fists and undulating election signs. “She [Hochul] acted, and within a month she had identified almost half of a billion dollars to be distributed directly to unemployed hotel workers to incentivize hotels to recall laid off workers.”
Hochul gushed in return after taking the stage and heralded the workers for being on the front lines during the worst of the pandemic but for accommodating the thousands of tourists who visit the state each year.
“We needed you there, we needed you there and now you are taking your rightful place in your jobs and doing such important work that I can tell the rest of the world: Come on back to New York because we are open because of all of you!” Hochul said.
The Governor was joined in the endorsement by New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and Attorney General Letitia James, who Hochul introduced as the woman Donald Trump is fears. James acknowledged the impact the HTC and its some 40,000 members could have on her reelection bid.
“We recognize and understand the power of unions, not only in New York but all across this country. Let’s be honest, we will not have the progress that we currently all enjoy but for unions. You have been there at a time when we were in the midst of a pandemic,” James said.
Comptroller DiNapoli likewise joined in thinking of the union for the endorsement, yet he also made a call to arms. Taking shots at his Republicans colleagues for holding their State Convention in what he says is a non-union hotel and berated the right for attempting to split Democrats in the vote.
“We need HTC on the frontlines first of all in this primary at the end of June and as we head to November, because the other side, meaning the Republicans, are always gonna have a lot of money. That’s where the fat cats are,” DiNapoli said.
