Thousands of public school cleaners and handy workers in New York City are set to hold a rally on Tuesday, advocating for improved labor contracts. The rally will take place at City Hall Park in Lower Manhattan at 10 a.m.
Rally Objectives
The workers are calling for enhanced pension benefits to ensure a comfortable retirement amid rising inflation and the high cost of living in New York City. Their current contracts are set to expire on June 30, adding urgency to their demands.
Scope of Work
The group, consisting of approximately 5,000 workers, is responsible for cleaning and maintaining over 1,300 public schools across the city. Their duties include:
- Heavy Duty Cleaning: Comprehensive deep cleaning and maintenance of school facilities, including gymnasiums.
- Repairs and Maintenance: Tasks such as painting, fixing broken furniture, and changing furniture.
- System Management: In many schools, handypeople manage all systems, including the boilers.
- Summer Preparations: During the summer, workers perform extensive work to prepare for the new school year, such as stripping and waxing floors, often without air conditioning.
Workers’ Demands
The workers emphasize that they have not seen any improvements in their pension benefits since 2018. They argue that the physical and demanding nature of their work, combined with the high cost of living, necessitates better retirement benefits to ensure their financial security in the future.
The rally aims to bring attention to their plight and to press for negotiations that address their needs, recognizing the critical role they play in maintaining the city’s public school infrastructure.