PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Sarah Penenberg, Political Coordinator at 32BJ SEIU, on Intro 2744 and Worker Safety in Waste Management
2:30:41
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125 sec
Sarah Penenberg from 32BJ SEIU testified about the impact of Intro 2744 on residential workers in New York City's property service sector. She emphasized the need for worker safety measures in the bill's implementation, particularly concerning rat population reduction efforts.
- 32BJ SEIU represents 175,000 members across 11 states, with 90,000 in New York City
- The union supports reducing the rat population but wants safeguards for workers' safety in the bill
- Recommendations include proper training, protective equipment, and involvement in the rulemaking process with the Department of Sanitation
Sarah Penenberg
2:30:41
Good to see you too.
2:30:42
Thank you to the chair, people here, and to the committee, my name is Sarah Penenberg.
2:30:48
I'm a political coordinator here at SEIU.
2:30:50
We represent a 175,000 members across 11 states, Washington, DC, and New York.
2:30:57
We have 90,000 members that work in the city, and they are part of the essential property service sector of New York.
2:31:05
One of the cornerstones of our union is the residential division, which represents workers in apartment buildings in New York City, providing essential servicing like cleaning, including trash removal.
2:31:16
Many of our members work in buildings that would fall under the guidelines of intro 2744.
2:31:22
And this bill, if it moves forward, we wanna make sure sure that it has safety for these residential workers.
2:31:29
The city's goal to reducing the rat population is one that we fully support.
2:31:33
And we know this impact, and our members know this impact to their safety.
2:31:38
Rats pose significant health threats and safety risks, particularly to these workers who are tasked to maintain building sanitation and waste disposal.
2:31:48
In its current form, however, the bill lacks adequate safeguards for the workers who personal safety and work conditions will be significantly impacted by these proposed reforms.
2:32:00
We see several opportunities to improve these safety guards for residential workers.
2:32:05
These include requiring employees to provide proper training and protective equipment to take necessary precautions to protect these workers and ensure any potential hazards.
2:32:16
We also believe that this pilot program will provide, invaluable information and policy efforts here.
2:32:25
So we wanna make sure that we are working with Department of Sanitation through the rule making process to make sure that our members' voices are heard.
2:32:32
And we urge the city to ensure a robust safeguard for residential workers' safety as they continue to develop and implement this important policy.
2:32:41
We are eager to work with the council and make sure that this is done through the rule making process.
2:32:46
Thank you so much.
