TESTIMONY
Nathalie Huang, Member of the GrowNYC Workers Collective, on Layoffs and Budget Cuts Impacting the Compost Program and Zero Waste Initiatives
6:48:19
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143 sec
Huang addresses the layoffs of 53 community composting workers, including herself, from GrowNYC's compost program due to budget cuts.
- The layoffs, totaling 79 union workers, will severely impact GrowNYC's compost and zero waste school programs.
- Drop-off compost sites have closed, reducing access for community members relying on them.
- Huang criticizes the Mayor and DSNY Commissioner for undervaluing the program's efficiency and achievements.
- She urges the council to prioritize funding for GrowNYC's compost program and fully restore zero waste program funds.
Nathalie Huang
6:48:19
Good afternoon.
6:48:20
Cheers O'Biryu and Brennan members of the city council.
6:48:24
I appreciate the opportunity to speak today.
6:48:27
My name is Niley Huang.
6:48:29
And I'm a longtime member of the Garden IC Workers Collective, a labor union represented by the retail wholesale and department store union.
6:48:37
I am 1 of 53 community composting workers in Grand NY C's compost program who are being laid off today.
6:48:43
Additional worker layoffs to Grand NY C's 0 waste schools and stop and stop programs will be in June.
6:48:49
And collectively, 79 Union Workers will be unemployed.
6:48:53
Despite massive support for Restoration Funds, a private donation that kept Golden IC's compost program afloat until now.
6:49:00
The cuts still prompt the closure of some of our drop off sites.
6:49:03
These changes were devastating as our participants depend on those sites as they're only options for composting.
6:49:09
Now because the worker like worker layoffs go into effect today, All ground Y seed run drop off sites are currently closed too.
6:49:18
Commissioner Tisch from DSNY claimed at March hearing that all Brooklyn and Queens has access a sea wide ground bin program.
6:49:25
I served your constituents from Brook from Bensonhurst Bay Ridge Flatbush to Crown Heights.
6:49:32
Who gave countless stories about their landlords refusing to let tenants use the brown bin, and other tenants not participating in the program or contaminating the bin with non combustible materials.
6:49:41
So many times I answered people's questions and taught them to separate their organic waste with community couples and drop off sites as additional options for them.
6:49:48
Rather than getting rid of us, the Mayor and GSNY need to be united with us to further New York City's growth in environmental sustainability and equity.
6:49:56
In the December hearing last year, director Giha for the mayor's budgetary office called new composting small and inefficient.
6:50:04
It's a shame the mayor undervalues our work despite how much we've accomplished on such a small budget.
6:50:09
And the far we do strives, we've made an encouraging local participation, and composting.
6:50:15
Now all that specialized knowledge, accessibility to education, outreach and hands on composting experience will be gone with elimination of our jobs.
6:50:22
The emotional labor of this job is exhausting, but I do it all over again because people's livelihoods and access to composting and education are worth fighting for.
6:50:31
I asked the city council to prioritize baseline funds for Granite City's Campus program and New York City Campus project in the upcoming budget.
6:50:37
And ensure full restoration of funds to our 0 waste programs.
6:50:41
Thank you for your time.