A contract covering roughly 20,000 security guards in Service Employees International Union, Local 32BJ (SEIU 32BJ) expired at midnight on May 1 as members called on employers to retain their healthcare, increase their retirement benefits, raise their wages, and recognize Juneteenth as an official paid holiday.

Sitting across the negotiating table is the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations (RAB), as well as several private companies including Allied Universal that directly employ union members. They enlist SEIU 32BJ security guards to protect landmarks like the Statue of Liberty, Rockefeller Center and the 9/11 Memorial, along with local college campuses and shelters for the unhoused at a time when the city is experiencing mass student demonstrations and an influx of asylum seekers bused in from the southern border.

The Juneteenth demand stands out as critical for what Tammy Murray—the Stockholm Family Shelter’s security supervisor and union shop steward—calls an “overwhelmingly” Black and brown workforce. Being off on the federal holiday commemorating the country’s second independence day and freedom to enslaved peoples may feel particularly relevant for the legions of Black New Yorkers covered by a new contract.

“Everybody else has a holiday where they get paid but us,” said Murray. “It is the only holiday that we actually asked for, that we want in the contract. Because it means something to us. That’s our independence day.”

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) lent her support to the union while also advocating for the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, better known as the PRO Act, to strengthen organized labor across the country. 

“I am honored to stand with members of 32BJ SEIU,” said Sen. Gillibrand in a statement. “Anyone who has lived in NYC knows how critical security officers are to the safety of our communities. I want to thank these essential workers for their tireless work to keep our communities safe and for standing up for workers’ rights.”

NYC Comptroller Brad Lander also advocated for the union members’ demands.

“From New York’s most iconic buildings to our city’s shelters, 32BJ security officers are always there keeping us safe and serving New Yorkers,” he said. “As essential workers, they showed up for us throughout the pandemic and are now guaranteeing safe and secure places for asylum seekers to rest. I proudly stand with these workers because they deserve a fair contract that includes family sustaining wages, healthcare, and [the] ability to retire with dignity.”

There is currently little movement in the negotiations as of press time according to a SEIU 32BJ spokesperson. But the RAB is confident both sides will work things out. 1,300 SEIU 32BJ security guards are covered by the RAB contract. 

“We have a great relationship with the union that has resulted in more than 30 years of uninterrupted labor peace,” said Robert Schwartz, RAB’s executive vice president in a statement. “We are looking to schedule additional negotiating sessions in the days ahead in the hope of reaching a fair agreement.”
Tandy Lau is a Report for America corps member and writes about public safety for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://bit.ly/amnews1.

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* This article was originally published here

New Yorkers love a good speakeasy—our list of the 20 best speakeasy-inspired bars in NYC is spirited proof.

The clandestine cocktail-bar genre is getting a new entry in the form of Koi Bā, a Japanese-accented drinking den coming to Williamsburg ( 80 North 6th Street) on Wednesday, May 15.

RECOMMENDED: 7 NYC speakeasy concepts where you can also get great food

Owned and curated by Nem’s Japandi Bistro’s creator Supranee “Nem” Phramdang, the new Brooklyn bar will pay homage to Japanese flavors and “seasonal narratives,” with a 12-drink menu overseen by Beverage Director Ricky Dolinsky. (There will also be Japanese craft beers, a thoughtfully curated sake repertoire and tasting flights of house whiskeys.)

On the cocktail list, you’ll find creations like the “Paper Crane,” a Paper Plane that took a trip to Tokyo (Japanese aged rum, Interboro amaro, yellow chartreuse and lime); the tiki-inspired “Blue Forest” (coconut-infused whiskey, pineapple, Kare spice, amontillado sherry, nutty sesame orgeat and egg white); and the Bellini-esque “Hana Akiri,” perfect for cherry blossom season with hibiscus-infused gin, fresh cucumber, lychee, nigori sake and a Pet Nat rosé. A “Smokey Toki” has some theatrical bartender flair: the duck fat-infused cognac cocktail with absinthe, fennel and mizuna syrup is smoked with a mix of wood chips and matcha, echoing the flavors of a classic green-tea smoked duck. 

Speaking of food, there will be plenty of drinking snacks on offer, from fried chicken Karaage (with Sancho pepper honey, house hot sauce and Szechuan peppercorn) to “French Onion” Agedashi Tofu (served with broiled gruyere cheese) to a tartare (choice of tuna or salmon) topped with charred Negi, cured egg and yuzu kosho. 

Japanese touches abound in the décor as well: an oversized Koi fish is the statement piece above the bar, and moody dim lighting pepped with pops of red neon makes it feel like you’ve stumbled into the alleys of Golden Gai. 

Check out photos of Koi Bā’s cocktails and bar bites below: 

* This article was originally published here

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a proposal to adopt a near-total ban on noncompete agreements (NCAs) between employers and workers.

The ban, which would end the prohibition on some workers being able to leave a job and get hired by another company in the same industry or to potentially start a company in that same industry, would go into force nationwide. 

According to the FTC, 18% of the U.S. population––some 30 million people––have signed NCAs.

“Noncompete agreements bind about one in five American workers. That’s astounding,” FTC Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter said during her agency’s announcement of the decision. “And this is not limited to one sector of the economy or category of workers. Low and high wage workers, skilled and unskilled workers; this problem affects so many. And in fact, it really affects all of us. Even if no one in your family is subject to a noncompete agreement for their own employment, the record in our rulemaking proceeding makes clear: noncompetes prevent new business formation, slow innovation, and deprive consumers of the better products and better prices we expect from competitive markets.” 

Unions applauded the announcement. The Teamsters took to X/Twitter to call the FTC proposal, “A BIG win for working families and a big defeat for predatory corporations!”

Studies have found that when employees sign NCAs it limits their ability to earn income, because they’re stuck working for one employer who has hired them based on the skillset they have for that specific industry. The National Bureau of Economic Research wrote that enforcement of NCAs can be detrimental to the economic prospects of Black workers because “Black individuals are less likely to migrate far away from their hometown, and they are less likely to migrate in response to earnings increases elsewhere. [T]hese differences predict that NCA enforceability will cause greater earnings penalties for historically disfavored workers.” 

Even though legal action around NCAs are not often enforced, once an employee has signed one they are hesitant to do anything that might violate its clauses, the non-profit Economic Policy Institute found: “Most noncompete agreements never make it to court: workers assume they are valid, or workers can’t afford to take on the risk and expense of possible litigation. A typical employee who is reminded that they have signed a noncompete or receiving an intimidating letter from the employer’s legal counsel simply may accept that working for a competitor is not an option rather than taking the risk of being sued. This results in a chilling effect, as workers stay in their jobs regardless of the actual enforceability of their noncompete agreements.” 

Noncompetes hinder economic progress

An April 23 FTC fact sheet assessed that noncompetes have stalled economic progress. Banning NCAs, the agency claims, will lead to a 2.7% increase in new businesses, the creation of more than 8,500 new businesses each year, and an estimated “$400-$488 billion in increased wages for workers over the next decade.”

The FTC rule will go into effect within 120 days of its publication in the Federal Register unless it is halted by legal challenges. The United States Chamber of Commerce, a pro-business group, has already said it will challenge the ruling. “Since its inception over 100 years ago,” the Chamber said in a statement, “the FTC has never been granted the constitutional and statutory authority to write its own competition rules. This decision sets a dangerous precedent for government micromanagement of business.”

The business lobbying group asserted that “67% of our respondents agreed that a near-total ban on noncompete agreements would have a negative impact on their business’s talent strategy and/or compensation strategy. Our survey found that employers would have to reduce the sharing of sensitive information with employees and reduce or defer compensation with employees should this ban take effect.”

Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan claims that “Noncompete clauses keep wages low, suppress new ideas, and rob the American economy of dynamism, including from the more than 8,500 new startups that would be created a year once noncompetes are banned.”

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* This article was originally published here

We love some cheap tacos as much as any New Yorker, but there’s an added thrill when those deliciously filling, low-budget bites come from a lofty source. In Esse Taco‘s case, that source is Enrique Olvera, the chef-restaurateur known for his acclaimed, high-minded Mexican cooking at the three-Michelin-starred Pujol in Mexico City as well as at Cosme and Atla in Manhattan. 

RECOMMENDED: The 22 best tacos in NYC, from traditional taquerias and trendy hot spots

At his vibrant new Brooklyn taqueria with Santiago Pérez (of Casamata hospitality group)—which opens at 219 Bedford Avenue and North 5th Street on Thursday, May 2—the standing-only digs are leagues more casual than at Olvera’s other World’s 50 Best dining rooms, but the menu is thoughtfully focused.

The tortillas are made with heirloom corn, nixtamalized and hand-pressed on-premises. And tacos hover around the five-buck mark: rib-eye steak with salsa guacachile ($5.95), citrus-marinated grilled chicken with spicy Xnipec-style pickled onions ($4.95), al pastor pork loin with pineapple butter ($4.95), and a mesquite-smoked oyster mushroom option with salsa tatemada ($5.45). There’s the option to make any one of the above “Gringa” with a flour tortilla in place of the traditional masa round, with added chihuahua cheese for a dollar extra. 

Rounding out the taco-focused menu are sides like totopos with guacamole or a salsa trio, a range of beverages including tequila and mezcal margaritas, beer and refreshing agua frescas, and a fast-casual take on Olvera’s famed corn husk meringue from Cosme, one of the best desserts in New York City. Here, the dessert—which is made crunchy, ash-dusted meringue topped with a velvety corn mousse and vanilla cream—is smartly transformed into a mini ice cream sundae, just the thing to soothe after all those chile-fired tacos.

Check out photos of Esse Taco’s delicioso-looking offerings below, including those meaty tacos and that corn husk sundae:

* This article was originally published here

More than 775,000 fans attended last week’s NFL Draft held in downtown Detroit, Michigan, breaking the previous record of 600,000 football followers that flooded Nashville, Tennessee, in 2019 to partake in the annual gathering that has become the second most popular event on the league’s calendar behind only the Super Bowl.   

At the Giants’ and Jets’ draft headquarters in East Rutherford and Florham Park, New Jersey, respectively, the teams painstakingly considered their options before settling on their first round picks. Both selected players that fill pressing needs. The Giants have lacked a world-class wide receiver since Louisiana State University product Odell Beckham Jr. was a three-time Pro Bowler in 2014, 2015, and 2016. The Jets’ offensive line has been unstable for a half decade and with 40-year-old starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers coming back from suffering a ruptured Achilles in the first offensive series of last season, it is imperative the Jets are sound in front of him.

Thus, the Giants selected another dynamic LSU pass-catcher, Malik Nabers, with the sixth overall pick, and at No. 11, the Jets secured offensive lineman Olumuyiwa Fashanu from Penn State. The Giants also drafted safety Tyler Nubin from Minnesota in the second round (No. 47) and cornerback Dru Phillips in the third round (No. 70) among their six picks. Among the Jets’ other six picks in addition to Fashanu was Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley (Round 3, pick No. 65), Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen (Round 4. pick No. 134), and quarterback Jordan Travis (Round 5, pick No. 171) from Florida State.

“We had a lot of guys that we liked that would fit in with the way we had them stacked,” Giants general manager Joe Schoen revealed via Giants.com. “At the time we took him, he was the top receiver on our board.”

Nabers is confident of the versatility and attitude he brings to the team.
“I’m able to play different positions, create separation, open up a great window for the quarterback to throw me the ball,” he said. “Great teammate. Great leader. All in all, a great football player. Dog mentality when I’m out there on the field.”

As for Fashanu, Rodgers expressed his agreement with Jets’ general manager Joe Douglas’ choice of a player who competed in 29 games at Penn State, all at left tackle, starting 21.

“Olu Fashanu didn’t give up a sack his entire college career, which is saying a lot because you’re going against great schools in [the] Big 10,” Rodgers noted. “Olu is a mauler. He’s not going to need to jump in right away. We’ll see if we work him in at guard.”

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* This article was originally published here

The basketball gods have a sense of irony and drama.

After the Knicks overcame a five-point deficit at Madison Square Garden with 45 seconds remaining to improbably defeat the Philadelphia 76ers 104-101 in Game 2 to take a 2-0 series lead in the best-of-seven matchup, 10 days later, they afforded Philadelphia reprisal.

Leading by six points with 28.2 seconds to go in regulation in Game 5 at MSG on Tuesday night, cerebral lapses, missed foul shots, and the remarkable shooting by 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey erased the 96-90 lead and sent the game into overtime knotted at 97-97.

The Knicks’ lack of discernment and execution on both ends of the court continued over the five-minute OT period and an advantageous circumstance to close out the series morphed into a 112-106 loss. Now, the Knicks find themselves back in Philadelphia for Game 6 tonight (9:00 p.m.) holding a fragile 3-2 lead.

In victory, the 76ers became the first team in the last 25 playoffs to win a game trailing by at least six points in the final 30 seconds of regulation.

Although accountability for the loss should be shared by the Knicks players as well as head coach Tom Thibodeau, guard Jalen Brunson, who scored 40 points, placed much of the blame on his shoulders.

“Not good judgment on my part,” Brunson said. “There was a careless turnover in overtime, and then just making sure we were all on the same page at the end of regulation.”

The Knicks were up 97-94 with 15.1 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter after Josh Hart made one of two foul shots. The one miss would prove to be costly. Philadelphia was out of timeouts but the Knicks were reluctant to foul Maxey, who ten seconds earlier was hit by Mitchell Robinson on a made 25-foot 3-pointer and added a free throw for a game-altering four-point play. Instead of putting Maxey back on the foul-line for a possible two points, the Knicks let him launch a 35-foot 3-pointer from well beyond the top of the circle to even the score at 97 with 8.1 seconds showing on the clock. Brunson’s subsequent shot at the buzzer was off the mark.

“In those situations, you talk about what you want to do out there…” said Thibodeau regarding allowing Maxey to get off a 3-pointer. “We could’ve done better in that situation, and we will.”

Maxey, who posted a career playoff high 46 playing 52 minutes. was acutely aware of the gravity of the moment. “What was going through my mind was trying to survive,” he said. “Our season is on the line. I trust my work. I trust what I’ve done all my life, and I just tried to get to a spot, raise up and knock that shot down.”

Right now, Brunson’s extraordinary performance in setting the Knicks’ franchise playoff record of 47 points in Sunday’s 97-92 Game 4 win seems like a distant memory. What is front and center is Game 6. And perhaps Game 7 Saturday at the Garden. Which the Knicks hope to avoid. 

The post After a crushing Game 5 loss, the Knicks are eager to close out the 76ers appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.

* This article was originally published here

NBA legends and future Basketball Hall of Famers LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers) and Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns) have been eliminated from the 2024 NBA Playoffs.

Stephen Curry didn’t even make it that far as the Golden State Warriors’ season ended in the play-in tournament. It is the first time at least one of the three hasn’t been in the second round of the playoffs since 2005.

But a new crop of young players is ushering in the next generation of potential greats, led by 2024 NBA MVP finalist Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

Gilgeous-Alexander, a 25-year-old guard, averaged 30.1 points, 6.2 assists, and 5.5 rebounds this season lifting the Thunder to the top seed in the Western Conference (57-25). Eastern Conference powerhouse Boston Celtics (64-18) topped the entire league. His spectacular play has continued in the playoffs, where he’s averaged 27.3 points per game, propelling the Thunder to a four-game sweep over the New Orleans Pelicans to advance to the second round.

The Thunder, the second-youngest team in the league when the season began, will meet the winner of the series between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Clippers. It was tied at 2-2 heading into Game 5 in Los Angeles last night.  

“When you take a step back, it’s very hard to beat an NBA team, no matter what NBA team, four times in a row,” said Gilgeous-Alexander after the Thunder’s 97-89 win on Monday.

“You have to do a lot of things right, and a lot of possessions, and there’s so many possessions in the game just to get one, and for a group of guys that I guess you can say we’re young and don’t have the most experience in winning basketball games,” he added.

In addition to Gilgeous-Alexander, Edwards, just 22-years-old, averaged 25.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists this season pushing the Timberwolves (56-26) to only one game behind OKC and Denver (57-25) in the final standings in the West. OKC held the tie-breaker over the Nuggets.  

Edwards was even better in Minnesota’s first-round series against the Phoenix Suns, averaging 31 points per game, including a 40-point performance in game 4 in Phoenix in a 122-116 victory to blank the Suns 4-0. They will next battle the reigning NBA champion

Denver Nuggets in a West semifinals beginning on Saturday. The Nuggets defeated the Lakers 4-1 in the opening round.

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* This article was originally published here

Sure, we all lived off a very healthy diet comprised of nothing but Cup Noodles and bagels throughout our college years, but does slurpy-ready instant ramen and those boiled-and-baked rounds actually go together? One of New York’s most viral bagel spots, PopUp Bagels, is exploring the oddball combination by partnering with Cup Noodles on a limited-edition cream cheese. 

RECOMMENDED: The 17 best bagels in NYC are great any way you fill ‘em

Inspired by the Cup Noodles brand’s recently released Everything Bagel with Cream Cheese flavor—which “blends ramen with a saucy mix of caraway seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, garlic, onion, and cream cheese flavor for the ultimate everything bagel experience” and is available to purchase exclusively at Walmart stores and Walmart.com—PopUp Bagels has created a limited-edition everything bagel cream cheese with actual noodles in it.

“We know this flavor got you thinking: but what if the noodles were IN a cream cheese and we can actually schmear on an everything bagel?” Cup Noodles posted on Instagram on April 30. “We partnered up with the iconic @popupbagels to create a limited edition Cup Noodles everything bagel cream cheese. Available 5/1-5/7 at all PopUp bagels locations and limited mail orders.” Even bolder, the ramen brand instructs “bagel and ramen enthusiasts looking for an extra creamy eating experience” to add a dollop of the new cream cheese directly into the Cup Noodles Everything Bagel with Cream Cheese cup. 

From today, May 1 through Tuesday, May 7, the limited-edition cream cheese will be available exclusively at PopUp Bagels locations, including the 177 Thompson St storefront, as well as online for national shipment. The bagel bakery is set to open several other locations in New York City, including in the Upper West Side (at 338 Columbus Ave) and Upper East Side (1457 Third Ave). 

It’s not the only wild-sounding bagel collaboration that PopUp has participated in lately—just last month, the bakery collabed with Dominique Ansel on a limited-time Parmesan Gruyère Bagel schmeared with confit garlic cream cheese and topped with actual escargot. 

* This article was originally published here