Julie Menin prioritizes big special interest at the expense of small hotels in a divisive move

It appears that smaller establishments are once again at a disadvantage: City Councilwoman Julie Menin has reached an agreement with large hotels to overcome their opposition to her “Safe Hotels Act” which benefits unions.

She has made concessions to the bill to appease the Hotel Association of New York City, which represents big hotels, while smaller, mainly outer-borough and minority-owned hotels continue to be disadvantaged.

The Hotel and Gaming Trade Council, a politically influential group, will benefit greatly from this deal, gaining the power to unionize or potentially shut down a quarter of the industry that is not already unionized.

Hotels that are not unionized will be unable to obtain a city license, leading to closure or conversion into emergency city shelters.

It’s a tough situation for many.

The NYC Minority Hotel Association, created to oppose this bill, may not have enough influence to stop it unless outer-borough council members step in to protect their constituents.

The safety measures outlined in the bill serve as a cover for this special-interest deal, with panic buttons and similar mandates being relatively insignificant.

The real aim is to force independent entrepreneurs to comply with the union’s demands or face closure, resulting in the loss of thousands of jobs.

With room rates set to increase city-wide, tourism will likely take a hit.

While unions and Menin, who has her sights set on higher office, emerge victorious, it’s clear that many small business owners will bear the brunt of the consequences.

The large hotels may soon regret sacrificing the smaller ones to the whims of the union, as they could be the next targets when the union seeks additional concessions.