Records show that powerful labor unions have donated more than $700,000 in campaign contributions to City Council members who backed controversial legislation that critics say would inflate hotel rates and destroy New York’s hospitality industry.
Since 2021, the Hotel & Gaming Trades Council has donated $711,428 to support the political campaigns of 15 of the 28 City Council members who signed on. invoice It was sponsored by Manhattan Democrat Julie Menin.
The measure includes a provision that would require hotels to directly hire most of their union-contracted employees, including restaurant staff currently employed by restaurateurs.
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Critics said the move would likely raise wage costs.
Nearly all of the funds, $689,078, were paid through the union’s political action committee, Hotel Workers for Stronger Communities, to pay for political ad mailings, phone calls and other campaign support, records show.
That includes $185,901 donated last year to help City Councilman Justin Brannan (D-Brooklyn) win a tough race against former Republican City Councilman Ali Kagan, and $113,675 donated to help Brooklyn Democrat Crystal Hudson win in 2021.
The remaining $22,350 was paid directly to the 15 council members through their unions.
“This is worse than just a monetary transaction. This is search and destroy,” said an outraged hotelier, who asked not to be named to avoid incurring the union’s wrath.
“They gave these people tens of thousands of dollars in donations and now the union is holding them accountable, but what good is that if they’ve damaged an entire industry in the process?”
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The union and its PAC have also given $47,000 in campaign contributions to state Attorney General Letitia James and $102,000 to the city’s district attorney, both of whom have publicly supported the measure.
The City Council has enough votes to pass the bill but lacks the 34 votes needed to override a mayoral veto.
Mayor Eric Adams has not yet taken a position on the bill, but records show the union has been a strong supporter of him in the 2021 mayoral election, contributing about $1.1 million to television and digital ads through its PAC.
The Hotel and Gaming Trades Council did not return a message.
