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April 9, 2007
My name is Johnnie Patterson and I am the Security Division Coordinator for 32BJ SEIU. We represent 60,000 property service workers in New York City, including commercial and residential building service workers, security officers and window cleaners. I am here to speak about the deal currently being negotiated between the Port Authority and JP Morgan Chase to redevelop World Trade Center Tower 5.
While asking the public for millions of dollars in subsidies, JP Morgan Chase is failing to uphold its responsibilities to the people who work in and secure their buildings. JP Morgan uses Summit Security in its Manhattan buildings. Summit Security was also the security company at the World Trade Center in 2001. Nine Summit officers, members of our union, died in the attacks on the World Trade Center. Those who survived were cut-off from Summit’s payroll within 24 hours - adding financial stress to their severe psychological trauma. Summit’s behavior towards its employees was in sharp contrast to other contractors in the Trade Center, who worked with 32BJ to continue to provide wages and benefits to workers in the months following the attacks.
Today, Summit remains an irresponsible contractor that pays its workers unlivable wages - as low as $8.50 an hour and inadequate benefits. Workers, community members, and politicians have reached out to JP Morgan Chase regarding their contracting policies, but JP Morgan Chase has failed to raise standards in its buildings. In one hour, the CEO of JP Morgan Chase earns more than a Summit security officer makes in a whole year.
Now JP Morgan Chase, a company that gave its CEO an almost $40 million package last year, is asking for major subsidies for a move that will not even create new jobs in NY. This is not the first time JP Morgan Chase has asked for public money. In 1989, JP Morgan Chase received a $237 million deal to retain jobs in NYC. Since then, JP Morgan Chase has cut at least 2,000 support jobs.
Moreover, we have concerns about JP Morgan Chase’s plans to build a trading floor that would cantilever over the limited public space in downtown Manhattan. We have thousands of members who work in lower Manhattan, take their lunch breaks outside and meet their families before and after work to walk around and enjoy the area. There is precious little outdoor or park space downtown, we need to protect this space.
We ask the WTC Redevelopment Committee to convene a special hearing regarding JPMorgan Chase’s plan to develop site 5 and their request for public subsidies. We understand the need to redevelop lower Manhattan, but not at the cost of millions of dollars in our tax money and encroachment on our limited public space. And not with a company that continues to employ contractors like Summit that keep members of our community in poverty.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Testimony of Martin Baker, Former Summit Security Officer
Before the World Trade Center Redevelopment Committee Meeting
April 9, 2007
Hello. My name is Martin Baker and I’d like to talk about Summit Security, the security contractor currently used by JP Morgan Chase.
I worked as a security officer at the World Trade Center for fifteen years - for five of those years I was employed by Summit Security. I was not working the morning of September 11th because they switched me from the 10-6 pm shift to the 3-11 pm shift. That day, I lost a whole heap of friends - they were family really, because we’d worked together for so long. Added to all we lost that day was the fact we had also lost our jobs. After my many years of service, Summit left me and many of my co-workers out to dry. They stopped paying wages and benefits right away - just when we need them most - and didn’t do anything to help us get new jobs.
After what happened on 9/11, security needs to be a priority for the redevelopment of the World Trade Center. We need a good company with high training standards that treats workers right for the important work they do. Summit is not that company.
Thank you for your time.
Testimony of Billy Mills, Former Summit Security Officer
Before the World Trade Center Redevelopment Committee Meeting
April 9, 2007
Hello. My name is Billy Mills and I am a security officer. I used to work for Summit Security at the World Trade Center. Today, JPMorgan Chase uses Summit Security. I was not on duty the morning of September 11th, but I saw the towers fall. It’s hard for me to describe what it was like. I lost many friends and co-workers. Unlike other companies at the World Trade Center, Summit didn’t do anything for their employees. Following the attacks, we didn’t get paid. In fact, Summit didn’t pay us until months later. Summit didn’t want to give us our vacation benefits either. But our union, 32BJ, took them to arbitration to fight for these benefits.
Security officers, especially after September 11th, are doing a very important job for the city and they should be trained and treated well by their employer. Summit is not such a company.
Thank you for your time.
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