His union SEIU Local 32BJ and its allies on the New York City Council, who are pushing to raise salaries for thousands of building service workers around the city, see Ramirez' much-improved income as a template. The Council is considering a bill that would mandate the "prevailing wage"—a pay-scale comparable to Ramirez' union salary—for porters, doormen, security guards and all other building service workers in new developments that receive tax breaks and similar valuable incentives from the city.
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The bill is the latest of several efforts seeking to use the city's contractual powers to compel higher wages for workers on the lowest rungs of the wage ladder. Advocates say situations like Ramirez’ illustrate that a few more dollars an hour in salary can dramatically improve the lives of building maintenance staff workers around the city.
Ramirez started working for The Related Companies, the real estate giant that owns the Caledonia, in 1995. He worked in a string of non-unionized buildings where his pay eventually rose to $16 an hour. In earlier years, he headed from his main job to work at a second maintenance job, and got home after his children were asleep. Now, after a day of cleaning common areas and maintaining the Caledonia’s garbage recycling system, he leaves the building around sunset, arriving home in East Harlem in time to help his teenage son and daughter with their homework. As for his former colleagues working at lower-wage buildings, he said they still need another job on the side.
“It’s not easy, but that’s part of life,” Ramirez said one recent afternoon after his shift had ended. “Life’s not easy nowhere," he said.
His interview with a reporter was encouraged by 32BJ, which is promoting support of the Council bill that would also raise pay levels for some non-union workers. The pay scale would rise for workers in new buildings that receive at least $10,000 annually in city financial assistance, and also require prevailing wage standards in buildings where the city leases space. Introduced last fall and reintroduced in February by Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito, the bill is co-sponsored by 29 other members.
The prevailing wage is set annually by the city comptroller, but because 32BJ’s members make up a large percentage of New York building workers, the prevailing wage and the union’s contract rate tend to coincide.
Mark-Viverito, who represents East Harlem, Manhattan Valley and the South Bronx, said the bill is part of an ongoing discussion about wage issues.
“The conversation that always comes up is ‘How we can ensure that the jobs that we create are going to afford people the opportunity to have a good life in the city?’” she said. “My struggle is about having the investment of city dollars, first and foremost, strengthen the base that’s here,” she added, comparing her preference for improving opportunities for wage workers to Mayor Michael Bloomberg's focus on facilitating new development.
