John Catsimatidis is a New York City billionaire who owns tons of real estate, curries favor with politicians through large donations, and owns United Metro Energy Corporation, where workers have been on strike since April 2021.

United Metro Energy Corporation (UMEC) workers are classified as essential workers. During one of the harshest winters New York has faced in recent history, UMEC workers never stopped working during the pandemic to ensure hospitals, City agencies, residential buildings and businesses stayed heated.

After putting their lives at risk, Catsimatidis demanded his employees work for up to $20 less per hour than other NYC fuel workers. They had no choice but to go on strike. In response to the strike, Catsimatidis is using replacement workers and has illegally fired 8 of his employees.   New York workers are fighting to come back from the economic impact the pandemic inflicted on their families and communities. Catsimatidis is worth billions – he can pay United Metro workers the same wages his competitors pay. Pressuring workers to accept low wages and forcing them to strike is needlessly hurting New York families. That is no way to treat essential workers.