Union Rat Eyes Chelsea Hotel Owner Joseph Chetrit

Union workers erected a large rat in front of the Chelsea Hotel today to protest Joseph Chetrit's use of non-union labor to demolish the interior of the hotel.  Former Hotel workers had long been union members but in August when the Chelsea Hotel was in the process of  changing ownership, the union workers arrived at the Hotel to find they had been locked out.  Then they were given a one day notice and fired.  Though promised a severance package, the maids, clerks, engineers, and bellmen of the Chelsea, many of whom had worked at the Hotel for decades have to this date, received nothing. 

Actually, it was not one but two tenants who were assaulted.  Additionally, we have received several reports of tenants being verbally harassed by the non-union demolition workers.