Public Employee Press

Jobs saved, but HHC privatizes laundry

By DIANE S. WILLIAMS

An agreement between District Council 37 and the Health and Hospitals Corp. protects 180 former Brooklyn Central Laundry employees in Locals 420, 983 and 1549 by reassigning them as Service Aides. The workers were displaced when the HHC inked a nine-year, $130 million deal to contract out its laundry services to three private firms starting in August.

"Local 420 is saddened and disappointed by the actions of HHC to close BCL," said Local 420 President Carmen Charles. "We fought and will keep fighting to preserve jobs and stop the privatization of public services."

DC 37 signed the redeployment agreement in August. The huge but cash-starved corporation initially agreed to redeploy the 80 Local 420 members and under continuing union pressure expanded the option to include distribution staff and members of Locals 983 and 1549 who were affected by the closing.

HHC managers met with the BCL workers Aug. 10 to outline the new job responsibilities and the available worksites, which were offered based on seniority. BCL's seven permanent civil service employees got first pick, followed by the provisionals. The redeployed employees will serve three-month probation periods in their new housekeeping and maintenance jobs as Service Aides or in other HHC titles.

Since the Service Aide title pays $2,800 above the annual starting salary for laundry workers, many laundry workers will be upgraded as they are redeployed, said DC 37 Hospitals Director Audrey McConney.

For 12 years DC 37 and Local 420 sued in the courts, lobbied in the City Council and marched in the streets as they fought off repeated attempts of Mayors Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg to privatize the laundry. Over the years, HHC let the laundry fall into disrepair by withholding much-needed funds for capital improvements and new machinery.

"I was not happy. This was our home. But things change," said Sydney Edmonds, a civil servant who worked at BCL and will take a job at Coney Island Hospital. Institutional Aide David Ortiz worked for 10 years at BCL but will take a Service Aide position at Woodhull Hospital. "This move is scary, but I have a family to support," he said. "With the uncertain economy, I am glad to have a job and I hope the pay increase will make a difference."