TESTIMONY
Dilcy Benn, President of Local 1505, DC 37, on Restoring Park Worker Positions and Improving Working Conditions
5:23:22
·
137 sec
Dilcy Benn testifies on the need to restore 100 City Park Worker positions funded by the City Council last year.
- She represents around 1,000 city park workers who maintain parks across the five boroughs.
- Benn expresses disappointment that the administration did not restore parks budget cuts.
- She raises concerns about park workers facing threats and assaults from park goers.
- Benn advocates for creating a pipeline for seasonal workers to obtain permanent civil service jobs.
Dilcy Benn
5:23:22
Good afternoon.
5:23:23
Good afternoon.
5:23:24
My name is good afternoon, Chair Brennan and Chair Shaker.
5:23:27
And fellow city council members.
5:23:29
My name is Dilsey Ben.
5:23:30
I'm the president of Local 1505.
5:23:32
DC 37 rep representing close to 1000 city park workers also known as CPWs, as well as Caesar's work, who were primarily working in New York City Parks And Recreation Department in all five boroughs, reforming cleanup and conducting maintenance in all city parks.
5:23:49
Here we are, again, another budget year is upon us, and we are doing the same budget dance.
5:23:54
I was disappointed to hear that the administration did not restore any of the cuts to the parts and executive budget.
5:24:00
PPE for you to ask the restoration of the 100 CPW lines that were funded by the city council last year and referred to as a part of the city play field lines.
5:24:11
These one of the CPWs were essential, especially in parks, and have 2nd shifts.
5:24:17
Route these workers, the parks will be overwhelmed with gauntlet your red.
5:24:20
This is accounted to the man's warm rat on how to combat the rat war if you don't have the staff to clean up the garbage in the parks.
5:24:29
In addition, these 2nd shift workers were told that they were made permanent workers, but become the front end that that that's not true.
5:24:38
Furthermore, my members wish their own safety when they go back to lock up parks.
5:24:43
They have been threatened.
5:24:45
Even assaulted by by part goers who do not want to leave the park.
5:24:50
My members are minority, a lot of minority women who work alone.
5:24:54
As the weather gets warmer, these dangerous scenarios will become more frequent.
5:24:58
The parks need to get be kept clean, so thousands of New Yorkers, as well as visitors can come and beautify us, use our beautiful spaces.
5:25:07
We need dedicated box workers doing the work necessary to upkeep these spaces.
5:25:12
I wanna remind the city council members about the speaker.
5:25:16
Adrian Adams mentioned in our state or the city address.
5:25:19
The speaker proposed to create a pipeline to primary civil service jobs for seasonal workers.
5:25:25
This will be a game changer and a lifeline for so many seasonal workers.
5:25:31
Thank you for the opportunity to speak.
5:25:33
We need the 1% refunded, and I'll be happy to answer any questions if you have any questions.