With Union Negotiations on the Horizon, Tavern on the Green Restaurateurs Hire Power Broker

David Salama and Jim Caiola, the operators of Tavern on the Green, are now working with mega-lobbyist Suri Kasirer, whose firm brought in $7.7 million in fees last year, the Post reports. Although the restaurateurs have not yet explicitly announced why they’re partnering with Kasirer, presumably, she'll be helping with the negotiations between Tavern on the Green and the New York Hotel and Motel Trades Council. When Salama and Caiola opened their Tavern reboot, they were granted a two-year grace period wherein they didn't have to sign a labor contract. But now the honeymoon’s over, and it’s time to start the union negotiations. Over the summer, most of the Tavern’s employees agreed to support a union contract.

The Post notes that revenue at the critically-reviled Tavern jumped to around $19.9 million during its second year. In addition to negotiating the labor contract, the Tavern’s operators are also vying to get the city to approve plans for a parking lot that could generate an addition $3 million in revenue per year.

Tavern on the Green Gets Lawyered Up for Union Talks [NYP]