Fired hotel workers to greet A-listers before Met Gala
What's the story
As the Met Gala draws near, A-list celebrities at the swanky Surrey Hotel in Manhattan might have worries apart from fashion running their mind. As per a NY Post report, the Hotel Trade Council (HTC) union has announced demonstrations outside the hotel on East 76th Street, where several attendees of the iconic Met Museum event are booked. Fired hotel workers are likely to air their grievances and greet celebs before their Met arrival.
Controversy
Union accuses Surrey hotel of 'union-busting tactics'
The Surrey Hotel, which shut down during the pandemic in 2020 and went into bankruptcy, was reopened in October under a new brand and ownership. However, the new management did not rehire nearly 100 workers who lost their jobs amid the closure. The union has slammed the move as a "union-busting tactic." In March, the displaced workers sued the new ownership, alleging their job loss violated a law intended to keep workers during ownership changes. The case is pending.
Celebrity attendees
These celebrities are staying at Surrey Hotel for Met Gala
The Surrey Hotel is currently hosting a number of high-profile celebrities for Monday's Met Gala, including Cardi B, Tom Cruise, Alicia Keys, Shakira, Cristiano Ronaldo, Angela Bassett, Tommy Hilfiger, and executives from Burberry, Valentino, and Stella McCartney brands. The union has reached out to representatives of each celebrity, asking them to show support for the workers. They plan to contact the celebrities again early Monday (local time).
Worker appeal
Fired workers to urge celebrities to support their cause
The fired workers and their union are asking the stars to "step off the red carpet and stand with them" by demanding that The Surrey rehire them. Among those seeking support from the celebrities is Merry Coronado, a former room attendant at the hotel since 2010. Coronado told The Post, "I am a single mom, so my job at The Surrey means everything to me...I'm fighting for my job back, so I can get my family's life back."
Personal stories
Former Surrey workers shared their struggles
Donna McCammon, another former room attendant at the hotel since 2002, shared, "Losing my job at The Surrey has been one of the hardest experiences of my life." "I am the sole breadwinner for my household, and without the steady income, it was incredibly difficult," said McCammon. Rich Maroko, president of the HTC, accused the hotel's new owners of "unfairly casting aside" the former workers.