Community at Large Speaks for PPS Workers

Following the Portland Tribune’s coverage of a rally in support of custodians and nutrition service workers in the Portland Public Schools, some readers posted Web comments critical of the workers. That provoked a series of responses in support of SEIU Local 503's efforts to gain a fair contract.

Here are some excerpts:

"For those who imply that the workers at Portland Public Schools need to "work harder" to get better pay — do a little research.

These workers have direct contact with our kids every day. I don't know about anyone else, but I care about who they are, their character, and their experience. They do work hard. They are not asking for more than similar workers are paid in other districts.

Any person working full time should be able to pay their bills and feed their children. We are not talking about luxury here. This should not be about a race to the bottom, but about pushing all working people up. If you don't have health care, that's not fair. But it is less fair to proclaim others don't deserve it.

I can only say that those with a negative view of unions are obviously taking what they have for granted and are probably uneducated on the role labor unions have played in working people's lives through the last century. It would be impossible to impart that big of a lesson here."

" Unions started in the first place to protect workers, because it is a blatant fact employers were abusing and taking advantage of workers. Workers were fearful of speaking out for dignity and fairness on the job. They were just one tiny voice, and couldn't afford to lose their jobs for having an opinion and standing up for what's right. Unions were formed because in solidarity there is strength. Back then, people fought and even died for the rights that most of us enjoy now, union workers or not. Unions are not some 'corporate figurehead.' they are the workers.

For those who say "Just Shut Up and Do Your Job ," that's what your employers will say if unions are ever eliminated, and there won't be a thing you can do because, well, you will be just one little person, and what does one little person matter?"

" As a parent who has two kids in public school I strongly support the union's efforts. I want my kids to have a regular staff who know what they are doing and go the extra mile. That's what you get when you have a work force that can pay its own bills and afford to not live pay check to pay check.

What I get are kids that are safer , schools that better maintained, and I get peace of mind.

I do not want to see the revolving door that would be created by lowering the wages for custodians and food service workers. These workers deserve a lot more respect than they typically get.

They have my respect for standing strong for a fair wage; I am sure their families are scared about a 34% pay cut, I would be.

Stand tall Custodians and Nutrition workers and I will stand with you."

"It always amazes me the number of working people who can buy into the bosses' line of thinking.

Unions are the main bulwark against the right wing's efforts to dismantle public education. I've known plenty of good union teachers who use their own money to buy basic supplies for our kids — supplies that school districts can't or won't provide.

Rich people and big business CEO's don't need public schools. Working people need the schools and you can't get a good education for your kids with out decent pay and working conditions for the teachers and support staff."

"These folks are unsung heroes , often in the background of the public eye (but not those of students, other staff and parents). They do essential, important jobs, close to our children, and are part of our children's lives and experience in school. Why would you want the revolving door in these school positions? That is what you will get if these jobs are ‘McDonaldized’ according to what is wanted by negotiators for the schools. Stability in these positions creates safer, better maintained, and in the long run, more cost effectively run schools. This means wages/benefits that support families. In fact, anyone who works should have enough to live in dignity and be able to support their family. I'm rooting for PPS workers in their struggle!"

"…I will always support fellow workers in their collective bargaining efforts, and if you work for a living, then you should, too. If we fail to unite with one another as workers in mutual defense of our dignity and the value of our labor, then we will all be reduced to virtual slavery, which is what the ‘market’ would have in store for us.

These are the ABCs of working for a living, and I'm astonished and disgusted to see in these comments how thoroughly some working people have been deceived into accepting and repeating the bosses' spurious arguments and myths as if they were their own considered positions.

The 'market' cares only about profitability , not about people, not about our desires to lead decent lives and to receive a fairer share of the enormous wealth that we create every day through our work. We built this world -- we rebuild it anew every day on the job — and we need to unite in defense of our right, under the concept of simple justice, to enjoy the fruits of our own labor.

Support Portland school workers! They are fighting for all of us."

"Do any of the harsh critics of the Portland Public Schools custodians realize what these vital workers actually do? These rank-and-file workers share significant responsibility for the safety and security of our community's most precious assets: our children! Additionally, they are the stewards of the public's assets and provide the necessary operational support to all school programs and community users of the school districts facilities.

The members of the Portland School board frequently sing the praises of our wonderful community at large. Unfortunately they are quick to dismiss the contributions of employees who in their own narrow view lack the social stature that they themselves seem to enjoy.

Just last week Portland Public Schools was a major co-sponsor of the annual Martin Luther King Memorial Celebration. I can,t help but wonder what Dr. King would be feeling if he were here to witness the school districts recent treatment of these essential public servants . . . . . Do the leaders of Portland Public Schools even realize that Dr. King was in Memphis to support the Sanitation Workers strike ! ! !

Wake Up People ! ! !

Wake Up Portland School Board ! ! !

These workers deserve decent living wages and benefits in exchange for the vital labor that they perform on behalf of our community."

" Have you driven in to work on your day off to check the heating pipes just because you noticed how cold it was outside?

Have you shoveled snow from 3:30 a.m. till 10 a.m. just to make it safe to walk, knowing school would be canceled anyhow?

Have you had to decide it was safe to remain in a building after an earthquake?

Did you know that it is the custodians who call in a disaster as to whether the building's safe, not the 100k-a-year principals?

When a crazy gunman is trying to get into the building to kill your kids, the custodians are required to walk the halls locking all doors, looking for explosives, and then communicating to the police where people are in the building. Just to keep your kids safe. Do you want Joe Blow minimum wage doing that?

Have you ever been responsible for making sure a building's boiler didn't blow the building up?

Are you afraid of heights or the dark?

Does it sound fun to crawl under a 270,000-square-foot building in tunnels to find the water shut-off? Or to walk on a catwalk to change a gym's lighting?

The work we do is selfless. The public laws require us to ignore our families and personal needs in time of disasters or dangerous weather much the same way a fire officer or police officer is required to.

If we do a poor job in our cleaning, people will start to get sick using kitchens, bathroom, drinking fountains, etc. The buildings would become a haven for after-hour thefts. Think about how fast your house or car would fall apart if no one did the routine maintenance.

If it's not important to protect your kids and your tax dollars then fine, pay Joe Blow minimum wage to do my job. I will go someplace else; I do possess skills and am not afraid to leave this job… They [PPS] want the public to spend 900 mill on new buildings but next to nothing to keep them new."

"…Why do you think PPS buildings have lasted 80 years plus? They were taken care of by custodians who cared and worked hard to maintain the public’s tax dollars. That is why they are civil service employees (custodians) not janitors: to protect the public’s investment. I think they have done a great job and have earned the right and pay to protect my tax dollars."

"…We are the first line of defense when something is wrong with a building. We are the ones who tell the Maintenance Department that there is a problem. We are the ones who have to stick our necks out to hunt for a bomb. If there is a fire we are the last ones out of the building. We are the ones who place our lives on the line to protect Portland's children when some nut case decides to enter the building with a gun. We have to deal with body fluids every day. We are potentially exposed to various blood-borne pathogens. As for the pay cut that the District is proposing, I personally lose $500 a month. That would put my take-home check down to approximately $1000 per month. There are others that say I only work for the District for the money. Wrong!!! A large portion of the reason that I came back to the District after being illegally fired in '02 was the kids."