Published: March 11, 2010

State Sen. Eric Schneiderman and Assemblyman Mike Gianaris have introduced legislation to guarantee prevailing wages and benefits to cleaners and security officers at public utility companies. State prevailing wage law already gives contracted service workers in the private sector the market rate at public sites and facilities. The bill, which has 11 sponsors, would eliminate the current exemption for public utility companies such as Consolidated Edison, where contracted workers earn as little as $8.50 an hour, without benefits, according to 32BJ SEIU.