A hotel maid in New York City is reported to have surpassed the earnings of recent police officers, firefighters, and even teachers with advanced degrees, and she just received a pay increase.
The Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, which represents 22,000 hotel workers in the city, finalized a new contract on Thursday. This deal will elevate housekeepers’ salaries to $77,113 starting July 1, with compensation reaching $110,000 by the sixth year.
This agreement, reached over the weekend with hotel owners, successfully avoided a strike that could have disrupted the city’s hosting duties for America 250 and the FIFA World Cup. Tourists had expressed concerns about booking accommodations due to the potential strike.
Guests will need to adjust to some rising costs this year, particularly as automatic gratuities for group meals and similar services will jump from 15% to 20%.
“We initially sought $40 an hour,” shared one hotel owner involved in the negotiations, speaking anonymously due to fears of backlash. “Now, the people cleaning your rooms will earn more than both school teachers and police officers.”
Housekeepers, referred to by the union as “room attendants,” currently have salaries around $72,000 annually, with some exceeding $100,000. The new starting pay on July 1 is set at $77,113.
For context, newly hired NYPD officers earn $60,884, while new firefighters receive an annual salary of $54,122. Even after five years, a firefighter’s salary remains at $74,998, while teachers with master’s degrees start at $77,455.
According to the New York Hotel Association, costs for each employee, including benefits, average $107,958 annually and are projected to rise to about $154,000 by the eighth year. Housekeepers enjoy up to five weeks of vacation along with sick days and holidays; however, these benefits also lead to a significant increase in hotel costs, estimated at 66%. For every dollar paid to an employee, hotel owners also contribute to taxes, Social Security, Medicare, and other benefits. The new contract additionally recognizes Juneteenth as a holiday.
Last year, in preparation for a potential strike, Albany boosted unemployment benefits, trimming the waiting period and raising payouts by 72.42%, the largest increase in state history.
Additionally, porters in private residential buildings recently received a 3 percent raise, and a new contract for LIRR workers includes a 4.5 percent hourly pay increase. Under the new agreement, hotel workers who start at $40 an hour will see their wages rise to over $61 an hour by 2034.
Since the pandemic began, 18 hotels have shuttered, leading to the loss of more than 6,000 jobs, and union membership has plummeted from 30,000 to roughly 22,000, with many of those members being flight attendants.
In a video shared on the Hotel and Gaming Traders’ Facebook page on July 24, 2024, Hotel Association President Vijay Dandipani noted that union president Rich Maroko referred to the current contract as the “gold standard,” highlighting its robust protections.
They currently have what is described as a platinum contract.
“Operating costs for hotels have been rising each year since 2012, while profits have dropped to single digits,” Dandapani explained. “If you find yourself in a super luxurious venue, it’s manageable; otherwise, it can be quite challenging in the city.”
The ongoing conflict in Iran and escalating fuel prices have already dampened international travel to New York, although FIFA was expected to improve those numbers. However, the specter of a strike has led to a slowdown in bookings.
FIFA has warned visitors about the “clear possibility” of strikes and pickets during the World Cup, urging supporters to sign a statement expressing that they would avoid hotels if there was a worker strike.
New York City law allows guests to cancel reservations with a full refund in the event of a strike, and many are prepared to exercise that right.
The union had been preparing for a possible strike and had hoped socialist figure Mamdani would offer support after former Governor Andrew Cuomo shifted his backing for the mayoral race to the then-City Council member Mamdani in February 2025.
Mamdani has not publicly responded to requests for comments but has mentioned that the agreement represents a “win for our hospitality industry, our economy, and our city.”
