As the City of New Haven continues to struggle to balance its budget, the city is looking for ways to save money without cutting many city services. One option on the table is privatizing the work done by school custodians. Tuesday The New Haven Independent brought New Haven's Mayor together with two school custodians to discuss the issue in a round-table debate at the Bru Café.
"It's almost like a class structure. It's like the haves and the have-nots. It feels like to me that the blue collar worker doesn't matter any more," said Dorothy Greene, who works as a custodian at Wilbur Cross High School.
The custodian union worries that privatization would mean layoffs and lower wages for those who keep their jobs. For custodians like Greene, whose husband has been without work for three years, either option would hurt.
"I feel really devastated. I don't feel we're given proper consideration for the contribution we are making," said Greene.
"You go to these privatized, they believe you deserve $12.50 an hour and you become a worker like in Wal-Mart. And that's how they value you," said Robert Montuori, who is President of the Local 287 custodian union.
However, the mayor says something needs to be done to fiscally help the city.
"There is no money. There's no money in the budget. It is a problem. Folks have acknowledged it, and something here has got to give," said Mayor John DeStefano.
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He says outsourcing the custodial work could save the city about $7 million.
"If we can do something for less money we should try to do it; if there are some things we can stop doing, we should stop doing them. I think doing the thing families are doing, which is making choices," said DeStefano.
The city and the union are currently in negotiations, trying to find a middle ground. The outcome of those negotiations will influence the city's decision to move forward with privatization.
