Unionized Bronx residential workers gathered on the steps of the Bronx Supreme Court to say “hands off our contract!” on Thursday — authorizing a potential strike if they can’t come to an agreement by the end of next month with the Bronx Realty Advisory Board (BRAB).
Manny Pastreich, the 32BJ SEIU union president, warned BRAB during the March 21 rally that “if they reopen this contract, they’re going to feel the pressure” of the union.
“This is a fight for respect, the respect for the doormen, the respect for the doorwomen, the porters, the handy persons, the maintenance teams and the superintendents in the Bronx,” Pastreich said. “This is a fight for your hard work. This is a fight to make sure that these building owners respect the work that you do.”
BRAB though, argues that the union vote doesn’t take rising real estate costs into account.
“Last night’s vote by 32BJ fails to address the fundamental fact that rising expenses in the real estate industry, coupled with the devastating effects of the 2019 Housing Stability Tenant Protection Act have created an unsustainable downward spiral for Bronx property owners,” BRAB President Billy Schur told the Bronx Times in a statement. “Building service workers along with residents of the Bronx must join with property owners to call for action and the pursuit of alternatives that will protect housing affordability while allowing for the survival of Bronx buildings.”
“The combination of draconian regulations, alongside the complete collapse of the Bronx Housing Courts have created an environment where expenses have now surpassed revenue and most Bronx rental properties are headed towards financial collapse if they have not arrived there already,” Schur continued. “We hope the union will work alongside property owners instead of encouraging grandstanding as the Bronx begins to burn.”
Thursday’s gathering was almost identical to the union’s rallying cries last year, when in March 2023 they also said they were ready to strike if agreements weren’t met by their contract’s expiration date. The 32BJ crew was able to avoid that strike a year ago — which would have been the borough’s first-ever, reportedly — after the union finalized a new contract at the 11th hour. They have been fighting for better conditions since the COVID-19 pandemic pushed them to the workforce frontlines.
But 32BJ says now BRAB is aiming to reopen their contracts on April 1 to “attack essential workers’ wages and vital benefits.” According to the union, the contract covers 1,400 Bronx workers — doorpeople, handy-persons, porters, and superintendents — at 433 Bronx co-ops, condos and apartment buildings.
“This is just like déjà vu brothers and sisters,” 32BJ Secretary Treasurer John Santos. “We were here a year ago, we thought we were done with this bull. We negotiated a contract last year for the next four years, why are we back here?”
To cheers from the crowd, he encouraged the group: “If they want to fight, are you ready to fight? Are you ready to fight? Are you read to strike?”
Bronx City Council District 16 rep Althea Stevens and Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson attended the rally to support the union’s efforts.
“You have electeds that stand with you,” Stevens told the crowd. “In this moment, we’re going to stand with you, we’re going to support you and we’re going to make sure that you get the contract that you deserve.”
According the 32BJ, the union is currently prepared to strike if there isn’t an agreed upon contract with BRAB by April 30.
This story was updated at 5:18 p.m. on March 22 to include a statement from BRAB.
Correction: This headline was updated to accurately reflect that the 32BJ union isn’t bargaining for a new contract, rather lobbying against BRAB’s efforts to reopen their contracts ratified in 2023.
Reach Camille Botello at cbotello@schnepsmedia.com. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
