Harrisburg, PA – Public school workers from Philadelphia and across the state will join Pennsylvania social service workers to urge state electeds not to cut millions in education funds when the budget comes up for a vote in the coming days. School aides, bus drivers, mechanics; as well as building engineers, cleaners and maintenance workers will rally alongside public workers from Allentown today at noon in front of Chester County government offices.
“State officials should not cut staff and services at our schools that would leave our kids with the short end of the stick,” said George Ricchezza, 32BJ District 1201 Leader. “Our schools and kids are more important than any politician’s own political agenda.” Impending budget cuts threaten to gut services provided by 32BJ’s 15,000 property service workers statewide, including 6,500 school district employees and 500 public employees.
As part of the campaign, the union will patch through hundreds of calls from voters to electeds from Wednesday, July 29th until Friday, July 31st. The calls are aimed at electeds whose support for education funding is wavering, including State Representative Nick Kotik (D-45), State Rep. Joseph Petrarca (D-55), Senate Majority Leader Pileggi (R-9), Senator John Rafferty, Jr. (R-44), Senator Stewart Greenleaf (R-12) and Senator Edwin ‘Ted’ Erickson (R-26).
The State provides 60% of Philadelphia School District’s revenue for pay, benefits and educational programs. Negotiations for a new union contract covering 3,000 public school workers are underway between 32BJ SEIU and District representatives. The current one-year contract between 32BJ and representatives of the School District of Philadelphia expires on August 31st.
School district workers provide a variety of critical services, including emergency repairs to school roofs, air conditioning and floors.
With more than 110,000 members, including more than 15,000 in Pennsylvania, 32BJ SEIU is the largest property services union in the country.
.
###
