Detroit City Council prepared to go to court to save janitors' jobs

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.detnews.com/article/20090508/METRO/905080438/1361/Detroit-City-Council-prepared-to-go-to-court-to-save-janitors--jobs

Friday, May 8, 2009

David Josar / The Detroit News

Detroit -- In a harbinger of the difficulties Mayor-elect Dave Bing will have if he tries to reduce the number of city workers, City Council members said they are ready to go to court to prevent the privatization of about 30 janitors who clean their offices and the rest of City Hall.

"This is an outrage," said Councilwoman JoAnn Watson. "We need to be about people and about jobs."

Councilwoman Barbara-Rose Collins said she wants to know who is cleaning her office and doesn't want someone from outside the city.

"L. Brooks Patterson's sister may be in our offices," said Collins, in a reference to the Oakland County executive.

The Detroit-Wayne County Joint Building Authority, which manages the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, gave notice to the janitors that they will be let go by the end of the month so they can bring in a private firm that will do the work for less. The janitors make about $13 an hour.

AFSCME Local 1220 had obtained an injunction to stop the layoffs, but that was lifted. They turned Friday to the City Council for help.

FULL story at link.