Essential residential building workers in New York affiliated with the 32BJ union supported a strike vote if the bargaining committee representing them fails to reach an agreement on the new collective bargaining agreement with the Real Estate Advisory Board (RAB), who manages the buildings where they work.
The new contract would cover 32,000 workers in the five boroughs of the city, with a large number of Latinos, including doormen, superintendents (in charge of buildings), janitors and maintenance personnel, among others, and would include a salary increase and medical coverage. family paid by the employer.
“Health insurance is the cornerstone of 32BJ and certainly the cause of a strike. Building owners want us to take money out of our paychecks to pay for health insurance, whether we use it or not,” said Kyle Bragg, 32BJ President.
“We will not tolerate sharing in insurance premiums or any conditions that do not respect the time and work that our members have put in over the last two years. We have had to fight for everything that we have in our union contract: paid days off, coverage for health, labor protection, a pension. This will not be the exception,” he assured.
The current collective agreement expires on April 20, and if there is no agreement, a strike could be declared as of that date.
Before voting to authorize the strike vote, the workers demonstrated in front of the headquarters of the Advisory Board in Manhattan, to which they recalled that during two years of health crisis due to the pandemic “they demonstrated their commitment and service,” indicated the 32BJ in a statement.
New York workers had the support of local politicians as well as workers from other states, including members of 32BJ, which has more than 175,000 members in 12 states and is the largest real estate service workers’ union in the country.
In a social media message posted by Manhattan Councilman Shaun Abreu, three of the political leaders are seen who support the janitor’s union and others.
“Shoulder to shoulder with @chuckschumer (Democratic NY Senator) and @MarkLevineNYC (Manhattan Borough President) in support of our @32BJSEIU #essentialworkers,” Abreu writes.
Standing shoulder to shoulder with @chuckschumer and @MarkLevineNYC in support of our @ 32BJSEIU #essentialworkers pic.twitter.com/HzaRLZlSnN
— Shaun Abreu (@ShaunAbreu) April 13, 2022
Governor Kathy Hochul also posted a message on social networks expressing support for the workers.
“Construction service workers have stepped up, day after day, during the pandemic,” the governor writes.
“@32BJSEIU members deserve the wages they’ve earned and need to support their families.
“My administration supports you,” the message continues.
Building service workers stepped up, day after day, during the pandemic.
The members of @ 32BJSEIU deserve the wages they’ve earned and need to provide for their families.
My administration has your back. pic.twitter.com/4G17DaKg1J
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) April 13, 2022
If the strike vote goes into effect, it would affect more than 3,000 buildings and 555,000 apartments across the city, the union also said.
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