Laid-Off Marriott Marquis Workers Protest In Times Square

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — Dozens of workers laid off from the Marriott Marquis hotel gathered in Times Square on Wednesday to protest their treatment by the hotel's corporate owner, who they say cut their benefits and refused to commit to bringing them back if the hotel reopens.

After furloughing more than 1,200 employees last March from the flagship hotel on Broadway, management told 852 non-union workers on Dec. 9 that they would be permanently let go on March 12, 2021.

Compounding the pain of the layoffs, Marriott management revised its policies over the summer to cap severance pay at 10 weeks' salary, according to employee Brian Richards, who worked as a server in the Marquis's revolving rooftop restaurant for 32 years.

"It was a good job," Richards said. "I was quite happy."

Under the previous scheme, which mirrored unionized hotels, Marriott workers would have been entitled to a week of severance for every year of service. Given the new caps, even longtime workers like Richards will stop receiving benefits just a couple of months after their layoffs.

"I understand they have difficulty making money, but this just seems kind of dirty," said Richards, who has helped organize the hotel's workers since layoffs were announced.

The workers were joined in Times Square Wednesday afternoon by State Sen. Brad Hoylman, whose Midtown district includes the Marquis, and who led the crowd in chants of "shame" directed at corporate ownership.

A spate of Midtown businesses have announced large-scale layoffs this month, but none have been larger than the Marquis, which relied on out-of-state visitors before the coronavirus hit.

Workers in the hotel's Food and Beverage department were told they would not receive priority to be rehired if their positions eventually return, Richards said. He said he has spoken with Hoylman's office about introducing a "right of recall" bill at the state level, which would require employers to re-hire former workers if their jobs come back.

Since the pandemic began, right of recall laws have passed in cities including Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Diego and Oakland.

In a statement, Marriott Marquis spokesperson Kathleen Duffy said the hotel "has continued to maintain health benefits for associates that have been furloughed since March and will continue to do so through their separation date.

"Associates will receive additional information about severance benefits early next year," Duffy said.

Shawn Williams, who worked as a chef at the Marquis for 21 years, said Wednesday that it was daunting to enter the holiday season with a shrunken severance package on the horizon.

"Everybody’s hurting, the whole city’s hurting," he said. "But just give us a decent severance — that’s all we ask."

Related coverage: Layoffs Sweep Midtown Businesses Ahead Of Holidays

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This article originally appeared on the Midtown-Hell's Kitchen Patch