The embattled principal of P.S. 398Q in Jackson Heights announced on Friday she would step down, weeks after parents mounted a campaign for her ouster over her botched handling of an incident where a second-grader brought a knife to school allegedly with a plan to attack a fellow student. Erica Ureña-Thus, founding principal of The […]
Claudia Irizarry Aponte
Claudia is a senior reporter covering labor and work for THE CITY.
Posted inLabor
As Israel-Gaza Activism Flares Up, NYC Labor Unions Struggle to Stay on the Sidelines
After a raucous group of students at Hillcrest High School charged at a teacher who’d been spotted on social media holding a sign reading “I Stand With Israel,” Schools Chancellor David Banks visited the Queens campus to meet with students and counter reports about the motives of those who protested while waving Palestinian flags. “This […]
Posted inCongress
George Santos Says He Won’t Seek Reelection After House Ethics Committee Finds Evidence of Crimes
Rep. George Santos has admitted to “embellishing” his resume. But according to the Department of Justice and, now, the House Ethics Committee, the embattled congressman’s lies went much further. In a damning 56-page report published Thursday, the bipartisan panel found “substantial evidence” that the Queens/Long Island congressman filed false or incomplete campaign finance and financial […]
Posted inQueens
Principal ‘Covered Up’ After Second Grader Brought Knife to Target Classmate, Say Parents
Parents are calling for the ouster of the controversial principal of P.S. 398 in Queens, who did not inform them on the day that a student brought a kitchen knife to school and told other kids he intended to use it at lunchtime to attack a fellow second-grader he may have considered a romantic rival. […]
Posted inLabor
Actors Union Strike Settlement Tackles Streaming and AI Concerns
The film and television actors’ union reached a tentative agreement on a new contract with major film and television studios on Wednesday night, ending a shutdown that has crippled most film production since May. The three-year deal between SAG-AFTRA, the union representing more than 160,000 film and television actors, and the Alliance of Motion Picture […]
Posted inLabor
Uber and Lyft to Pay New York Drivers $328 Million Following AG Wage Theft Probe
Uber and Lyft, the San Francisco-based giants of the for-hire ride hailing business, have agreed to a $328 million settlement with the state of New York in connection with allegations that the companies stole drivers’ earnings, New York attorney general Letitia James announced Thursday. The two companies also agreed to provide sick leave, along with […]
Posted inUnions
City Workers Ditch Unions, Skip Dues, Following Supreme Court Ruling
City payroll records obtained by THE CITY suggest union enrollment has slipped since a Supreme Court ruling that allows government workers to opt out of membership. Between 2018 and 2022, membership went down nearly 8% among city employee unions, outpacing a decline of 5.1% in the number of full-time employees across city agencies. The gap […]
Posted inHigher Ed
Shaken Yeshiva University Students Mourn and Question
On the morning of Oct. 7 in Jerusalem, Steven Galitzer was preparing to go to synagogue with his family when they were surprised by the sounds of sirens. As observant Jews, they avoided the use of technology until the following day, but in cafés across the city they began to learn the news: Hamas carried […]
Posted inWork
Food Apps Get Fresh Pause on Delivery Minimum Wage
GrubHub, Uber and DoorDash have secured a second pause on a new minimum wage for New York City food delivery workers — a delay that is costing drivers about $15 million a week, according to lawyers who’ve asked a state appeals court to let the law roll ahead. Last week a state appellate judge issued an […]
Posted inLabor
Court Clears Minimum Hourly Pay for NYC Food Delivery Workers
Judge affirms city rules mandating at least $17.96 an hour before tips for Uber, Grubhub and DoorDash workers, clearing New York as the first major U.S. city with a guaranteed driver wage.