NYC Janitors Are Latest Victims Of Twitter’s Meltdown

On Monday, twelve janitors at Twitter’s 245-249 West 17th St. location went public about their lives being upended after Twitter canceled its contract with their employer Flagship Services with no explanation. These essential workers, already struggling to keep up with a rising cost of living in NYC, are out of work.

If no action is taken, the cleaners, composed predominantly of Spanish and Albanian speakers, risk losing union health care benefits on Jan. 31 that their families have depended on for years for medications and essential medical care. The location has been unionized with 32BJ SEIU for approximately seven years.

Workers received a message forwarded from Twitter on Dec. 19 simply informing them that, “We regret to inform you that Twitter has decided to terminate NYC Janitorial services….effective immediately.” Workers are demanding answers and their jobs back!

“This is potentially life changing for us. I have to change the way I live and what groceries I buy to save money after being laid off. My daughter was already helping me pay the bills, and now I’m unemployed. And losing healthcare benefits could be devastating. I need those benefits for my asthma, arthritis and other treatments and medications. I’m going to keep fighting until I get my job back! We will not let billionaires treat us like this,” said cleaner and 32BJ SEIU shop steward Lucy Calderon. Read more from 32BJ here, as well as coverage from DocumentedNY and The Guardian.