Highbridge News: Working Girls Aren’t the Only Ones Suffering in La...

Highbridge News: Working Girls Aren’t the Only Ones Suffering in La...: Working Girls Aren’t the Only Ones Suffering in Labor Dispute Northeast Bronx Hot-Sheet Motel Battle Over Wages, Bedbugs, and Postin...

Working Girls Aren’t the Only Ones Suffering in Labor Dispute

Working Girls Aren’t the Only Ones Suffering in Labor Dispute

Northeast Bronx Hot-Sheet Motel Battle Over Wages, Bedbugs, and Posting Pix on Internet

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, APRIL 23- Workers continue to picket a local hot-sheet motel as a labor dispute will soon enter a fifth-month.

The 18 employees of the Capri Whitestone Hotel along the Hutchinson River Parkway near Ferry Point Park, have been demonstrating outside the hotel since early January after their contract expired.

Workers charge that on March 3, the owner slashed the housekeepers’ pay from $24.80 to $10.92 an hour and eliminated their health and retirement benefits.

 (A hotel guest hides the face of his date as they arrive at the Capri Whitestone Hotel.--Photo courtesy of the New York Hotel and Motel Trade Council) The workers clean and maintain 95 rooms that can be rented for a 4-hour stay or by the night. Rooms can cost as little as $55 for a four-hour stay and as much as $120 per night.

With the blessing of organizers at the New York Hotel and Motel Trade Council, on March 20 union members began the unusual step of snapping photos of patrons who crossed their picket line and posting those pictures at the website www.Dontcrosstheline.com.

Fellow union members who have joined the picket line in solidarity with Capri Whitestone workers, are also armed with an air horn and bullhorn to disturb the peace and quiet that those who decided to cross the picket line, had sought.

The union has filed several grievances with the National Labor

Relations Board, including management cutting pay of unionized workers and workers charge-- are violating the National Labor Relations Act.

Those charges are still being investigated.

On April 9 an arbitrator ruled that management must protect workers with hazmat suits to protect them from a bedbug infestation at the hotel.

Workers claim that the bedbug outbreak was caused by management’s refusal of washing the bedspreads after every visit.

Room attendant Venus Burgos, a 12-year employee at the Capri Whitestone, said of her plight, "I'm a single mom. I have three kids to support. I've always known the most important things I can give me children are love and education."

Burgos added, "But with an almost $14 an hour wage cut and no medical, I'm not sure I can even pay for my rent, let alone my children’s education."

Workers and union officials say they are prepared to stick it out for as long as the battle takes.

Calls for comment from the management of the Capri Whitestone Hotel were not immediately returned.   

Highbridge News: Soccer has a New Home at Yankee Stadium

Highbridge News: Soccer has a New Home at Yankee Stadium: Soccer has a New Home at Yankee Stadium By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, APRIL 22- Officials of the New York Yankees and the New Y...

Soccer has a New Home at Yankee Stadium

Soccer has a New Home at Yankee Stadium

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, APRIL 22- Officials of the New York Yankees and the New York City FC (NYCFC) were present at a  press conference that was held at Yankee Stadium on Monday to announce that that the iconic ballpark will be the first home venue for the NYCFC when the team begins its first season in MLS (Major League Soccer) in March of 2015.

Tim Pernetti, the Chief Business Officer of the new club in the MLS, stated its goal originally was and still is “to find the right community to build a soccer specific stadium in New York City.” He stressed that the 20th member of the MLS intends to play its games within New York City.

Attempts have previously been made to plan construction of a new stadium in Flushing Meadow Park in Queens and in the South-west Bronx, but resistance from residents has thus far thwarted those efforts from being successful.

With less than one year remaining before the new MLS season will begin, a home for the new club to play had to be named. All those officials on the dais presented realistic reasons as to why Yankee Stadium fits the bill.

Pernetti pointed out, “The Yankees are no strangers to soccer. They understand the needs of our club. This is the first MLS season that will be played within New York City.”

As part owners of the club, the Yankees organization has a vested interest in it being successful in every measurement of that term. Transforming the baseball field into an acceptable soccer pitch has been done before and is already been thoughtfully planned for 2015.

Soccer was played at the original Yankee Stadium from 1931 through 1976. Two world class soccer matches have been played at the current Yankee Stadium in each of the past tywo years and a match between Manchester City and Liverpool, two of the powers in the English Premier League is scheduled to be played on July 30.

Lonn Trost, the COO of the Yankees, using a chart, explained the particulars of the use of the stadium by NYCFC: The baseball capacity of 49,681 will be lowered to 33,444 for soccer, the pitch will measure 110X70, 17 games will be played in the Bronx during the regular season, field conversion to the other sport will take three days.

The schedule of playing dates between the Yankees and NYCFC will be worked out without difficulty. According to Randy Levine, “They [MLS] know we know what we are doing.”

One of the main benefits of playing in Yankee Stadium is accessibility, which was mentioned repeatedly during the press conference. 

Pernetti remarked, “Yankee Stadium is one of the world’s most legendary sports venues and a great and accessible location for fans.”

The Sporting Director of NYCFC, an experienced soccer star who captained the Red Bulls, commented on its attractiveness to world class players, “By having our home facility at Yankee Stadium, we feel even more confident that we’ll be able to attract top-level talent from around the world to our organization. Top athletes want the opportunity to showcase their talents at the world’s most famouis sports venues, and Yankee Stadium is such a venue.”

Although not present at the press conference, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. issued a statement supporting the team’s playing in the Bronx, “The Bronx is thrilled to have the New York City Football Club makes its home in Yankee Stadium. This will lead to more visitors to our borough, which in turn will mean more tourism dollars and more people discovering the ‘New Bronx’.”

Highbridge News: Knocked Out

Highbridge News: Knocked Out: Knocked Out 2 Arrested for Assault By Michael Horowitz BRONX, NEW YORK, APRIL 21-  Two Co-op City men have been arrested in conne...

Knocked Out

Knocked Out

2 Arrested for Assault

By Michael Horowitz

BRONX, NEW YORK, APRIL 21- Two Co-op City men have been arrested in connection with an assault on a 51-year-old man, who lost consciousness after being beaten up, police said this week.

The 51-year-old victim, whose identity has been withheld, was transported to Jacobi Hospital for treatment. He reportedly sustained bruising and swelling to his left eye, cheek and face. The injuries ultimately caused him to lose consciousness.

Arrested in the assault on the unidentified local man in the vicinity of the Einstein  Loop Shopping Center were Adalberto Torres, 21, of Hunter Ave., and Andre Nelson, 23, of Einstein Loop.

Nelson and Torres, who were reportedly known to their victim, were charged with third-degree assault in connection with the beating and with possession of 23 bags of marijuana in their possession. The suspects were arrested two days after their alleged assault, being apprehended in an area opposite 140 Elgar Place.

Co-op City’s Public Safety officers reportedly played a key role in apprehending the suspects, who face only misdemeanor charges because they didn’t use weapons in their attack.

Public Safety officers were the first ones to spot the suspects based on a description that was supplied to them.

The arrested men reportedly confessed to their crimes after being turned over to 45th Precinct officers for the processing of the suspects’ arrests.

Highbridge News: Fordham Sweeps Double Header

Highbridge News: Fordham Sweeps Double Header: Fordham Sweeps Double Header  (Photos by Gary Quintal) By Gary Quintal BRONX, NEW YORK, APRIL 21- Fordham softball swept a d...