[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6471972,"mediaKeyId","5777235-67c2f2274aee6103318eab80d79b0253","parentId",5777235,"title","Union updates council: Hilton talks stalled, workers keep pressure as Houston First’s role is questioned","audioSeconds",789,"startMs",3534000,"endMs",4323000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5777235-67c2f2274aee6103318eab80d79b0253&start=3534&end=4323","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5777235-67c2f2274aee6103318eab80d79b0253/thumbnail_3534000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6471972/Houston/Harris-County/Texas/Union-updates-council-Hilton-talks-stalled-workers-keep-pressure-as-Houston-Firsts-role-is-questioned","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6471972-9e956ed85966f3fe47757c47de4b1b81/orig.mp4?Expires=1770755849&Signature=IfY2qRIhQQBlqz8MDTW~ChN3V2phOsddGMR-tCeFv1shxSBdSTQ1rXk7uwuuU88zxtRCK6R70N414wthk6fo-h8tzVSsZHSdJpma9g7O~MvB926PzJDhgMvs7HDODARJ1zt3KP~rCbgNDy61WXFTA7RI3F1FpeQK9AIJJtlwfqwU3qlNv1pw3I0pG2MaZbUwbD5Z6Gzo8Je9UPxICRQzeqQZUk4XlbJuNwYmyOZ7eBoq5f1SsVGVN07LyfbiNDBmjvF8XOU8YCqW7v9-r5HPbtyPNsDgE~RY8xOqUUxMdH3Ij65R52Hq7UTsdhgzTbtl8cn1q4VtUMpS0p8cWyfqlA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Houston","date","2025-09-16T00:00:00Z","article","Unite Here Local 23 organizer Willie Gonzalez told the City Council on Sept. 17 that negotiations with Hilton have not produced a satisfactory offer for hotel workers and that union pressure will continue.

Gonzalez said the union had engaged Houston First and council members as part of outreach, and that Local 23 had discussed the expansion plan with Council Member Martinez. He said union members had been on strike for 16 days and that “we are not going away.” Gonzalez described Houston First as the ownership entity for the downtown hotel and said that, in practice, owners have decisive leverage over operator negotiations. “Houston First is the owner of this hotel,” he said in the chamber. He also said the union remained willing to engage in talks and expected more updates in coming days.

Council members asked clarifying questions about the owner/operator roles. Several council members (including Council Member Flickinger and Council Member Castillo) noted that the hotel’s employees are Hilton workers and that the brand/operator negotiates directly with the union while the owner must ultimately approve agreements. Gonzalez and other speakers said the ownership group’s approval is essentially required to finalize terms with the operator; council members said they would seek clarification from Houston First.

Competing statements about offers: During the exchange, council members asked about wage figures. Gonzalez said the official Hilton offer was $17.50 per hour; other council members in the chamber disputed reports that Hilton had offered higher figures (one council member said a $21-per-hour figure had not been presented). Council Member Martinez and others expressed support for the workers and pledged continued engagement with the union and with Houston First.

Why it matters: The dispute affects service-sector workers in downtown hotels; it intersects with the GRB expansion and the city’s relations with Houston First as owner/operator of convention center assets and downtown hotels. The council discussion focused on which party—the operator (Hilton) or the owner (Houston First)—has final authority to approve labor deals and what leverage the city’s municipal partners can bring to bear.

Next steps: Gonzalez said the union will continue public pressure and that new campaign steps would be announced soon. Council members said they would seek more information from Houston First and Hilton about current offers and the owner’s role in approving or signing labor agreements.

Ending: The council did not take formal action on labor negotiations during the Sept. 17 session; members requested follow-up information to clarify Houston First’s contractual role and returned to other business.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Houston - Council Meeting (September 16, 2025 & September 17, 2025)","oneSentenceSummary","Unite Here Local 23 representatives updated council on a labor dispute at a downtown Hilton hotel, told council that negotiations had not produced a livable-wage offer, and said Houston First, which owns the hotel property, exerts influence though is not negotiating directly with the union.","taxTitle","Houston, Harris County, Texas","taxId",2797,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6471977,"Council approves consent agenda and dozens of contracts, grants and ordinances; item 21 pulled, item 10 tagged",537,7995000,8532000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5777235-67c2f2274aee6103318eab80d79b0253&start=7995&end=8532","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5777235-67c2f2274aee6103318eab80d79b0253/thumbnail_7995000.jpg","/articles/6471977/Houston/Harris-County/Texas/Council-approves-consent-agenda-and-dozens-of-contracts-grants-and-ordinances-item-21-pulled-item-10-tagged","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6471977-87132af2c7d93c59a8fe24a18ab6e40c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770755849&Signature=TrI1oDmns7vZIxR4YH2fJFSoGLDbyQ5o4n0Z5xLgM6yoDrReXaRKNhk1R00CA9B~1yNUBpK~GrHZz6aFVDnCZKtHXMkZyw4ttTkar4B1PmBUoHbEkrokWyEK5B3kYKhUWyxXskBBNV9BFv2uECgfxW51~T3I3kUJBqbC2HWRN1bH4rKMMyExsRSbzz3RyGe~FJpAnRM~j~MhDPQRzcdNbDa~CrTn1PD-fL-dh8McbunVscqIw3VxpROBkmTmhd5yKM-RkMivBpDJcoCN0US8XIaGZ9S5O5KLg9Dw53RGJrqE8apuM0cmrircCHID9yhiBr1NiKx8s~oXqlmLFvD7KA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","What happened: The Houston City Council met Sept. 17 and approved the majority of the consent and ordinance items read on the agenda. The council passed spending and contract authorizations, accepted federal HUD grants for several park and stormwater projects, and approved multiple franchise grants for commercial solid-waste haulers.

Key approvals (selected items from the agenda read aloud Sept. 17):

- Purchasing/Contracts
- Up to $4,200,000 for fleet transportation vehicle parts and services from Defender Supply LLC (cooperative purchase).
- Up to $2,433,245 for professional support services for Microsoft enterprise products through Carahsoft (Texas DIR contract).
- Up to $60,124,498.65 for Microsoft enterprise agreement licenses and related software (SHI Government Solutions Inc., via Texas DIR).
- Vendor awards for water-conservation incentives, pest-control services and other departmental contracts (amounts noted in agenda text).

- Grants and appropriations
- Acceptance of HUD Economic Development Initiative Community Project Funding grants for Denver Harbor Stormwater Improvements, EP Hill multi‑use park and Edgewood multi‑use park.
- Ordinances appropriating funds for vehicle purchases and fleet maintenance and for multiple environmental services programs.
- Approvals for grant applications to the Texas Water Development Board for FEMA Flood Mitigation Assistance home-elevation projects (99 elevations requested).

- Public works / utilities
- Engineering contracts for Kingwood Central wastewater treatment plant improvements (Freese & Nichols) and additional appropriations for area drainage and paving services.

- Franchise approvals
- Multiple ordinances granting exclusive commercial solid-waste/industrial waste collection franchises to private companies (examples read: Arrowhead Asset Services LLC; Clearwater Recycling LLC; FCC Environmental Services, Texas LLC; Hallmark Mitigation and Construction, LLC; Hydro Clear Services LLC; Texas Pride Septic Inc.; Thermal Fluids Inc.).

What did not move tonight: Item 21 was pulled by the administration and was not considered. Council member Ramirez tagged item 10 for separate consideration; that item will return for later discussion.

How the council voted: For most consent and ordinance votes the clerk recorded voice votes (“All in favor?”) with motions made and seconded and no roll-call tallies read into the record. Where council members offered brief remarks they were entered on the record (for example, members praised Brentwood Economic Community Development Corporation’s HOPWA work and requested greater transparency on certain large IT procurements).

Why it matters: The approvals advance several multi‑million dollar purchases and federal grant acceptances that will fund stormwater, park, wastewater and technology projects across Houston. Franchise approvals will reassign commercial waste hauling rights in segments of the city and affect private-sector service delivery.

Next steps: Tagged or pulled items (including item 10 and item 21) will be returned to council for separate consideration. Council members asked for follow-up briefings or additional documentation on specific large packages (notably the $60.1 million IT licensing agreement) before future votes.

Ending: The meeting continued past the consent votes into public comments and further business; many of the financial and contract items will require implementation steps and departmental reporting to execute the approved work.","At its Sept. 17 evening meeting the Houston City Council approved the bulk of the agenda, including multi‑million dollar IT, fleet and environmental contracts, HUD grant acceptances, and several ordinances; item 21 was pulled by the administration and item 10 was tagged for separate consideration.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6471982,"Hundreds of residents urge city council to keep Polk Street open amid GRB expansion plans",1541,2763000,4304000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5777235-67c2f2274aee6103318eab80d79b0253&start=2763&end=4304","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5777235-67c2f2274aee6103318eab80d79b0253/thumbnail_2763000.jpg","/articles/6471982/Houston/Harris-County/Texas/Hundreds-of-residents-urge-city-council-to-keep-Polk-Street-open-amid-GRB-expansion-plans","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6471982-8874b0790373c4b1577307fb1ad69b6d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770755849&Signature=kN6GD7zqXF~SgepNyNC~qfhMxhQwOLskadruZzNI~HdNoqowe9ouY21GWPe5thmKPvJ2TCZ5M4NmTmmJtluYT5yspD0RysG6HVVGao7fENtiyClvMG1piXLBmBLwF1YVh9YCqHAAS71ur2yRhw3B6SE2PyAZzqYFmv1QVdcTvQwVvhGsO3KAJnbteZMlQERfTW1Kx666p1eqAbPQk9tguQDR6-YSKzRIkVsqSsXZ5fHf5R34e0Kah069-hgI09czzRqyn9U~Q1wyZ5HZiHVf4hcmQUSnFHIO-RHWWB91IX3Ewpa8Yo3UJlrHZVYCVmyGio03BlxKQ8LqVw-uvdBD0A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Hundreds of Houston residents told the City Council on Sept. 17 they oppose a planned abandonment of Polk Street tied to expansion of the George R. Brown (GRB) Convention Center, saying the closure would sever a decades-long East–West connection and disproportionately harm East End neighborhoods.

Speakers at an evening public-comment session presented maps, alternative proposals and personal testimony, and repeatedly used the council chamber’s refrain: “Keep Polk open.”

Why it matters: Polk is a protected bike and transit corridor that residents, workers and community groups say provides direct access to downtown, Discovery Green and transit lines. Speakers said the closure—announced publicly by Houston First in 2025 as part of the GRB expansion—would lengthen commutes for low-wage workers, reduce transit access for bicycle riders, degrade emergency access and undo mitigation commitments tied to TxDOT’s North Houston Highway Improvement Project (NHHIP).

Residents and civic groups discussed technical and equity concerns. Richard Gilmore and Sarah Hirsch reviewed historic changes to cross-town connectivity and emphasized that the NHHIP environmental review and mitigation commitments were premised on Polk remaining open. “TxDOT’s promised U-turn and a bike–ped bridge previously proposed by the city depend on Polk staying open,” Hirsch said. “This isn’t just a missed opportunity. It’s a reversal of hard-won progress.”

Multiple speakers described limited notice and coordination. Bruce Farrar said residents first learned of the abandonment on small roadside signs and at an Eastwood Civic Association meeting, and accused Houston First of poor outreach. Camden Kirkland and others described volunteer-driven data and mapping efforts intended to fill gaps in the public process. “When Houston First failed to provide transparency, we built it ourselves,” Kirkland said.

Transit and worker impacts were highlighted. Kyle Rogers, speaking for Unite Here 23 members, said thousands of hospitality workers who live east of I-59 would face longer, costlier commutes if Polk closed. Cyclists also testified: Alexander Carranza said he rides Polk daily and would lose a “safe” bike lane into downtown if the closure proceeds.

Emergency access and flooding vulnerability were central safety themes. Thomas Theis noted that Polk provides a reliable cross-downtown route and warned that when TxDOT’s HHIP lowers or buries sections of the freeway those below-grade corridors could flood—making surface links like Polk critical evacuation routes.

Alternatives and mitigation: Speakers proposed alternatives including keeping Polk open while designing the GRB expansion around it; reopening or improving other cross-streets; and negotiating a community benefits agreement that would protect neighborhood access, local hiring, and mobility mitigation. Several speakers warned that converting Leland to two-way traffic—Houston First’s suggested mitigation—could be a costly “band-aid” (one speaker estimated $20 million) and might fail because of frequent freight-train blockages at Leland’s rail crossing.

Council and staff response: Vice Mayor Pro Tem Amy Peck presided over the session and reminded speakers of chamber rules; several council members later thanked speakers and asked staff to follow up. No formal council vote or direction to approve the Polk abandonment appears on the September 17 consent or ordinance votes recorded that night.

What residents said in brief: “Put Houstonians first,” “Keep Polk open,” and “don’t trade connectivity for convention expansion” were recurring refrains from speakers representing Eastwood, the East End, Super Neighborhoods and Latino civic groups (including a letter read from LULAC District 18).

Next steps: Residents asked for transparent timelines, a publicly posted traffic and emergency-access study and written commitments about any proposed conversion of alternate streets. They asked council to delay formal abandonment until TxDOT, Houston First and the city provide coordinated mitigation plans and a public, multiagency review.

Ending: The public comment period closed after dozens of speakers. Council members acknowledged receipt of the materials residents provided; no formal council action on the Polk abandonment was taken on Sept. 17.","Residents, civic groups and transit advocates urged the Houston City Council to block a planned closure of Polk Street tied to the George R. Brown Convention Center expansion, arguing the change would sever East–West connectivity, harm transit riders and create safety and equity risks.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Union updates council: Hilton talks stalled, workers keep pressure as Houston First’s role is questioned

Council approves consent agenda and dozens of contracts, grants and ordinances; item 21 pulled, item 10 tagged

Hundreds of residents urge city council to keep Polk Street open amid GRB expansion plans