Every year non-elected commissions of capitalists steal $180 million in taxes. These commissions include the Convention Center, the Superdome, Tourism Commission and others. Every year, the city of New Orleans brings in billions because of the hard work of hospitality workers. That labor also brings in the $180 million in taxes. But instead of this going into the city budget and set aside for workers’ benefits and community needs, they are used to produce more profit for the white capitalist hospitality owners.
The Hospitality Workers Alliance, Peoples’ Assembly and a coalition of organizations representing the working women of New Orleans are demanding these stolen taxes be used to support the workers with childcare resources, healthcare, and other services that are needed for our survival. For months, the HWA has been protesting this theft and highlighting the lack of benefits workers in the city face, including protesting at the Tourism Commission and the Convention Center. Together with the Peoples’ Assembly, they are calling for a March 16th protest.
Recently, Mayor Cantrell has requested $12 million of these tax dollars be returned to the city for infrastructure. This is a small request and doesn’t acknowledge the workers or community needs. Even this minor request was met with racist arrogance by Stephen Perry, head of the Convention Center, who earns $500,000 a year from the stolen taxes. Governor Edwards and reactionary state legislators also dismissed Cantrell’s modest demands, once again denying right of home rule to the people of New Orleans.
While it’s good that Mayor Cantrell is even raising this demand, at a recent meeting she stated that she is not trying to start a fight or divide the city. Well, the city is already and increasingly divided between the rich, majority white ruling class who owns everything and the majority Black working class who struggle with low wages and gentrification. The city should be calling the people out to fight for not only $12 million but the whole $180 million that rightfully belongs to the people.
The racist attitudes of the hospitality bosses and state legislature are reflected in the treatment of workers in the city. Recent studies from the Data Center report that people of color, especially women, are paid less, intentionally hired for lower paying positions while white men are given better paying jobs. Big Easy Magazine cites that 68% of hotel housekeepers, 81% of whom are Black and LatinX, earn an average of $10.60/hr. Over half of all hotel workers are women, but the majority earn much less than $15/hour. It is widely acknowledged that at least $19 an hour is necessary to live in the city.
Although hospitality workers are responsible for the city’s wealth, they see little of it themselves. This is our city. This is our money. We demand that it be used to serve us, not the super-rich.