NEW ORLEANS - Service industry workers at New Orleans’ three largest venues have ratified union contracts with UNITE HERE Local 23. Newly-organized workers at the Superdome and Smoothie King Arena will receive their first union contracts, and workers at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center will receive an updated agreement. The workers are employed by Sodexo, which is among the nation’s largest food service providers and one of the largest individual employers in the city of New Orleans.

NEW ORLEANS - Council Vice President Helena Moreno unveiled the first part of her state legislative agenda, which focused on increasing affordable housing units and keeping tenants secure from unsafe conditions.

NEW ORLEANS - Council Vice President Helena Moreno has filed the City’s first legislation to codify the rights of City workers to organize and form a union. While union contracts have existed within the City for decades, this legislation, first announced last month, would enshrine in law the affirmative rights of City workers to organize and the processes to collectively bargain. Nevertheless, over the past several years, the union has faced continuous impediments and delays from the Administration. This legislation intends to clearly and concisely guide the interactions between the Administration and the union to ensure that collective bargaining will occur in a timely and fair manner. 

NEW ORLEANS - District "B" Councilmember Lesli Harris has issued the following statement regarding restoring the full Mardi Gras parade routes for 2023:

"Last month, I met with Mardi Gras krewe leaders and CAO Gilbert Montaño to work toward restoring the full, pre-COVID Mardi Gras routes. We know the Carnival season provides immeasurable benefits to our residents and a sizable portion of our small businesses’ annual revenue -- especially those in District B. I’m so pleased that the administration now has a path forward to bring Mardi Gras back to the front doors of businesses and residents along Jefferson, Magazine, and Tchoupitoulas. We have the funding to support security in these areas, and I stand ready to partner with the administration, NOPD, other law enforcement agencies, and the krewes to restore the Mardi Gras we know and love."

NEW ORLEANS - The New Orleans City Council has joined together to voice concerns on the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO)’s proposed rate hike. SWBNO officials discussed a possible rate increase with the City Council’s SWBNO Billing Advisory Committee on Wednesday. This proposal comes as the number of disputed bills has skyrocketed.