Today, the Center for Union Facts launched a new campaign satirizing New York Hotel and Gaming Trades Council (HTC) President “Richie” Rich Maroko, highlighting the union boss’ near-million-dollar pay package. The campaign includes a new website, video, radio ads, and a billboard in Times Square.
“Maroko may have leveraged the flood of World Cup-related tourism to secure a big contract for hotel workers. But it’s Maroko himself who’s really coming out on top at the union,” said CUF communications director Charlyce Bozzello. “Workers deserve transparency on the kind of compensation package they’re bankrolling.”
Highlights from the campaign include:
- Maroko received a massive pay package in 2024, with almost $1 million in total compensation. This includes $542,945 from multiple salaries, or $261 per hour—roughly 570 percent more than dues-paying union members, who earned $38.87 per hour that year.
- Maroko’s compensation package increased by 45 percent, almost $300,000, between 2020 and 2024. HTC membership only rose by 16 percent during that same period.
- Analysis of reported wages among unionized hotel workers showed significant wage gaps between White and Black unionized hotel workers. White workers report average hourly wages more than $8 higher than Black workers.
- A recent whistleblower report alleged that HTC officials received gifts from hotel industry executives and engaged in misconduct. The union denied the allegations in the report.
This campaign is part of the Center for Union Facts’ ongoing effort to educate union members and the public with transparent information about their union.