'This is a terrifying moment for working families.' Over 1,000 residential building workers vote to authorize a strike
Workers rallied in Scarsdale ahead of the vote on Wednesday. A few of their top demands include wages and pensions that keep up with the cost of living, health insurance protection, improved work conditions and paid leave.
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Over 1,000 residential building workers in Westchester and the Hudson Valley voted to authorize a strike, according to the 32BJ SEIU union.
Doorpersons, porters, supers, resident managers, handypersons and other workers rallied in Scarsdale ahead of the vote on Wednesday. A few of their top demands include wages and pensions that keep up with the cost of living, health insurance protection, improved work conditions and paid leave.
The 32BJ SEIU says they have been negotiating with the Building and Realty Institute of Westchester & the Mid-Hudson Region (BRI), which represents the real estate industry, since Aug. 25.
The union says the BRI is demanding changes to overtime protections and paid leave and attempting to make it easier to eliminate positions.
"This is a terrifying moment for working families. All of our bills keep going up, and we keep cutting back. I show up every day ready to go above and beyond for my residents," said Tashnette Wilkinson, a doorperson at a co-op in Yonkers and 32BJ SEIU member for six years. "In exchange, we just want the real estate industry to give us our fair share. Nobody wants to walk. But I'm ready to strike if that's what it takes to be able to provide for my kids."
In the event of a strike, thousands of residents will be left without numerous essential services that these union workers carry out every day, including trash removal, package intake and more.
The workers' contract expires on Sept. 30 - leaving exactly two weeks for the two groups to come to a resolution.
Timothy Foley, the CEO of the BRI, issued the following statement:
"We value the men and women who keep our rentals, co-ops, and condos functioning throughout the Hudson Valley and have made a lot of good faith progress during negotiations so far. Even with the increasing economic pains from inflation, interest rates, oil and utility costs, we remain optimistic that we can agree on a contract that is responsible and fair to both sides."
