Public Employee Press

Local targets mayor in war on rats

Health Service Employees Local 768 President Darryl Ramsey asked the City Council a critical question about the city’s rodent crisis. “How was Mayor Bloomberg going to cut down on the rat problem when the main agency handling pest control just cut loose 41 experienced people?”

Mr. Ramsey testified Oct. 28 before the Council’s Health Committee, accompanied by laid-off City Pest Control Aide William Chappell. While the mayor has supposedly declared war on rodents, the union leader pointed out that in May the city laid off five Supervisors of Pest Control and 36 Aides. The layoffs hit just before summer, when rodent complaints usually increase dramatically.

“Mayor Bloomberg went on television and told New Yorkers to call if they see people dumping garbage in vacant lots,” said Ramsey. “Who was going to clean up those dirty lots?”

Despite the budget restoration of more than $1.3 million to the Dept. of Health and Mental Health, none of it has been used to rehire the 41 employees.

At the hearing, Council members proposed raising the minimum fine on New Yorkers who fail to dispose properly of garbage and waste to $300 from $200. Fines can reach as high as $2,000 for subsequent violations. Members also called for a permanent board to oversee city efforts in fighting the rat problem.

“The best way to get rid of rats is to make sure they don’t have food and nests in the first place,” said Ramsey at the hearing. “But first we must make sure that the city puts the laid-off workers back to work, to do the jobs they know how to do.”