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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Glenys Rivera, Second Vice President of Local 372, District Council 37
6:47:50
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Glenys Rivera, representing Local 372 of District Council 37, testified about the importance of school lunch workers and requested additional funding for staffing and kitchen improvements in NYC public schools. She emphasized the crucial role of school lunch workers in providing nutritious meals to nearly a million students, especially those from underserved communities.
- Requested $10 million to hire 1,000 more school lunch workers to support food initiatives and alleviate the burden on current staff
- Highlighted concerns about inadequate ventilation and air conditioning in school kitchens, with temperatures reaching 120 degrees in some older buildings
- Urged the DOE and School Construction Authority to assess ventilation issues and allocate funding for necessary upgrades to ensure safe working conditions
Glenys Rivera
6:47:50
Good afternoon, chair Joseph and city council members.
6:47:54
I am Glennie Cribera, second vice president of local three seventy two under the leadership of president Sean D.
6:48:01
Francois the first.
6:48:02
I am here to speak on behalf of our 24,000 members including 8,000 school lunch workers regarding the mayor's proposed education budget.
6:48:15
School lunch workers play a vital role in ensuring nearly a million students in public schools receiving nutritious meals which are especially crucial for children from underserved communities.
6:48:30
Last year, the city restored a $25,000,000 to school foods bringing back popular menu items.
6:48:37
However, additional staffing is necessary to fully support these initiatives.
6:48:44
We respectfully respectfully request $10,000,000 to hire a thousand more school lunch workers alleviating the burden on the current workforce and ensuring high quality meals preparation.
6:48:57
Beyond staffing, inaccurate ventilation and air conditioning in schools kitchen remain a serious health and safety concern.
6:49:08
Many kitchens in older buildings reach an extreme temperature of a 20 degrees affecting workers well-being.
6:49:18
We urge the DOE and the school construction authority to access ventilation issues across the schools and to allocate funding for necessary upgrades.
6:49:30
In closing, we wanna thank the council city for its ongoing support and request further investment in school lunch staffing and kitchen conditions.
6:49:41
These improvements are essential to maintaining a safe and efficient food program for all New York City Students.
6:49:49
Thank you for your consideration.