Activism / March 26, 2026
New York’s hospitality industry was built on union struggles, and current protections show how workers’ rights and world-class hospitality go hand in hand.
Representatives of the Hospitality and Gaming Trade Council attend the celebration of mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s primary victory in New York, July 2, 2025.(Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images) As the clock struck noon on May 7, 1912, the waiters at the Belmont Hotel had finally had enough.
In the dining room, a waiter stood and blew a whistle: the signal for hundreds of workers to walk off the job and onto the streets of Midtown Manhattan. Over the next month, thousands more workers from more than 50 hotels would join the strike over long shifts, substandard housing, and wages that arrived unpredictably (or not at all). This is the first organized industry-wide movement in the country, as hospitality workers have come together to demand safe, stable working conditions and contractual protections against wrongful terminations.
The “server strike” presaged what we call the “server strike” today. Hospitality and Gaming Careers Councila powerful union representing tens of thousands of hospitality workers across the five boroughs. Hotels, let’s not forget, are workplaces: bustling ecosystems where housekeepers, front desk staff, cooks, receptionists and security guards attend to guests’ every need. When these workers do their jobs well, it often means they are invisible to customers. But they are there 24 hours a day, doing fast, intensive work on every floor.
Much more needs to be done to protect them and those they serve. Unfortunately, New York remains among the top five states with the highest number of new or active sex trafficking cases and those involving minors. Privacy and safety of workers and guests are not abstract suggestions. These are serious obligations with very real and very high stakes. This is why the complexities of regulating this industry and codifying worker safety measures into law are far preferable to the perils of doing nothing.
New York City has a huge opportunity to lead the way on workers’ rights. While the current administration in Washington, D.C., feigns solidarity with American workers, it has rolled back workplace safety requirements, stripped collective bargaining rights from millions of union workers, and expelled public officials who serve as sheriffs for corporate malpractice. Our city must offer the world a different path forward, one that champions strong protections for hospitality workers and the consumers who support this multi-billion dollar industry.
The framework is already in place. Under the monument New York Hotel Licensing Lawhotels must display a municipal license, staff night desks and security, train workers to identify signs of human trafficking, provide panic buttons and clean rooms, and directly employ key workers. It is completed by the Hotel Services Disruption Act, which requires customers to be notified within 24 hours of major disruptions, including worker strikes, with the option to cancel without penalty. And, since February 22, 2026, hidden “resort” or “destination” fees are forbiddenbringing clearer pricing and transparency to the city’s hospitality industry. A ban on surprise credit card charges at hotels will also come into effect early next year, creating key safeguards against unwanted charges at hotels.
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Taken together, these rules establish a baseline expectation for dignified workplaces, honest prices, and accountability to the public, all supported by the city’s economic justice watchdog, the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection.
These rules should not be seen as obstacles to growth. In fact, it is thanks to them that New York’s hospitality industry has maintained its strong reputation for service and professionalism. Take a moment to think about the alternative. Cities that pursue tourism without protecting their workers often find themselves trapped in a cycle of low wages and high turnover that undermines service quality and economic stability. Visitors may come once, but they rarely return.
New York City’s protections will be on full display this summer during the World Cup, showcasing a city that is world-class in its hospitality and how it treats its workers. For an industry that has suffered painful shutdowns due to the pandemic, the biggest sporting event on planet Earth is a moment of revitalization. But revitalization must be built on the equity and protections we’ve fought for for more than a century. When workers are protected and fully paid, when consumer standards are clear and enforceable, the industry is stronger. Our city too.
Just as New York’s workers contributed to the reforms of the early 20th century, a new progressive era is emerging today, and hospitality workers can once again be at its center: fueling business growth while securing safer workplaces, sensible regulations, and a City Hall that works for them. New York hotels stand out because they are more than the sum of their parts. Deeply rooted in this city, our hotels have always been about people, workers, and a singular promise: when New York welcomes the world, the people who welcome contribute to the city’s success.
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Samuel AA Levine Samuel AA Levine is commissioner of the New York Department of Consumer and Worker Protection.
Rich Morocco Rich Maroko is president of the Hospitality and Gaming Trades Council.