A move toward citywide educational equity
Source: By Susan Snyder, Philadelphia Inquirer, Thu, Apr. 20, 2006
...... Also at yesterday's commission meeting, workers who belong to the union representing janitors and bus attendants criticized the district for hiring a private firm to run custodial services in 14 schools. Michael McGinley, president of Local 1201 of the Service Employees International Union, told the commission that Sodexho, a Maryland-based company, had not improved services in the schools and that district workers unfairly were held to higher standards. "Why are we expected to clean 32,000 square feet - 10,000 square feet more than contractors?" he asked. He called the contract with Sodexho "a complete waste of taxpayer money." The district, which hired Sodexho earlier this school year, is paying the firm about $9 million for this school year.