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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Megan Chambers, Co-Manager of Workers United SEIU, on Resolution 598
1:24:13
ยท
3 min
Megan Chambers, representing Workers United SEIU, expressed strong support for Resolution 598, which aims to ensure that New York City hospitals and nursing homes contract with laundry companies that respect workers' rights and adhere to industry standards. She highlighted the issues with one company, FDR Services Corp, which has allegedly violated workers' rights and area standards for industrial laundry workers.
- The resolution calls for NYC hospitals and nursing homes to use contractors that respect workers' rights, follow the law, and adhere to area standards.
- FDR Services Corp employs about 175 workers, mostly immigrants and women, who are union members but lack a signed contract and quality union health insurance.
- The resolution is intended to protect both workers and NYC healthcare institutions by ensuring they use quality, trustworthy providers.
Megan Chambers
1:24:13
Okay.
1:24:14
Good afternoon.
1:24:16
We're very glad to be here.
1:24:17
My name is Megan Chambers, and I am co manager of the labor union, the laundry distribution and food service joint board, Workers United, SEIU.
1:24:26
Our union represents 7,500 frontline service workers in and around New York City, including more than 3,000 industrial laundry workers.
1:24:37
On behalf of our union, I'm speaking to express express our strong support for resolution number 598.
1:24:44
Thank you to chair de la Rosa for introducing this very important resolution, and thank you for the entire committee for, listening to us today about this urgent and important issue.
1:24:57
Union co manager Alberto Arroyo is also here today to express support along with, quite a few of our members, as many as we could fit in the back row.
1:25:07
I'm not gonna go over every word of our testimony.
1:25:10
We are we have submitted written testimony.
1:25:13
But just in brief, industrial laundry companies, use factory type equipment to launder 1,000 of pounds per hour of sheets, towels, tablecloths, and other washables used by New York City businesses and institutions.
1:25:28
Our union and its members who work in industrial laundries have fought really hard for decades to establish fair standards for workers in this sector, and we are really proud to say that almost all industrial laundry companies that service businesses in New York City abide by those standards.
1:25:47
One of the big users of industrial laundry products in the city is the health care sector, hospitals, nursing homes.
1:25:54
And there is one company that is an outlier that refuses to comply with area standards, and it is critical that this company and anybody who wants to follow in their footsteps be reined in.
1:26:07
And that's what this resolution does.
1:26:09
So the company I'm talking about is a company called FDR Services Corp.
1:26:15
It is has there are shockingly bad working conditions there.
1:26:19
It this company is a serial lawbreaker that over the past 7 plus years has flagrantly violated workers' rights and area standards for industrial laundry workers.
1:26:31
The resolution will works to put an end to those kinds of abuses by calling on New York City hospitals and nursing homes to make sure that they are using contractors that respect workers' rights, follow the law, and adhere to area standards.
1:26:47
FDR Services employs around 175 workers, mostly immigrants and women, and they are members of our union.
1:26:56
But they do not enjoy the standards that the rest of the membership enjoy because FDR services for more than 7 years has refused to to sign a successor union contract.
1:27:09
So they don't have a signed contract and has denied them their quality union health insurance.
1:27:15
So, there's a list attached to our testimony of the many legal violations at FDR Services.
1:27:23
The workers deserve better, and our New York City hospitals and nursing homes deserve to be using quality providers, trustworthy providers.
1:27:34
So this resolution protects everyone, and we hope it will get your unqualified support of this committee.