We, as tenants, count on a certain amount of discretion from the staff. We have to come and go through the lobby every day, of necessity coming into contact with a large number of staff members, and, for our own personal reasons most of us do not want our movements to be monitored. We want to know that if we’re having a bad hair day, the maid or the engineer is not going to call Page 6! The hotel frequently plays host to high profile media personalities, who have a very understandable expectation of privacy. These stars will stay elsewhere if they come to feel they can’t trust the staff.
We here at Legends have the utmost respect for the hotel staff. It is our belief that the tenants and staff must stick together in these times of trouble, as both camps are under assault from the minority shareholders, who want to end the old order at all costs. In an ongoing case at the DHCR, many hotel employees were pressured by the minority shareholders to get them to testify against the tenant in the case. Almost without exception these staff members—union and non-union alike–stood up to the pressure, refusing to inform on a tenant, who, like them, is merely standing up for his or her rights, and for this we applaud their courage and conviction.
However, on Sept. 5, Juan Gaviria, a desk clerk/manager, testified against the tenant in question. We can’t help but consider this a serious breach of trust. A reasonable person couldn’t be blamed for concluding that Juan is monitoring his or her business, observing his or her comings and goings, and won’t hesitate to testify against him or her in court.
If Juan was pressured into testifying, perhaps by the threat of loss of his job, that is truly regrettable. On the other hand, when asked if he had been coerced, Juan reportedly said no, that he wanted to testify.
Well, be that as it may, we bear no ill will toward Juan. But whatever his motives in testifying, residents need to be aware of what he’s doing so that they can take the necessary steps to protect themselves and their privacy. — Ed Hamilton
Living with Legends 
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