People before profits: Public service workers demand that Bloomberg put neighborhoods and kids first

(New York, N.Y.) — Public service workers today launched a hard-hitting campaign to stop the Mayor's lavish spending on companies that put profits before community services.

The ads will appear on billboards and in newspapers throughout the city during the month of March.

“Mayor Bloomberg, like too many short-sighted public officials, is increasingly 'contracting out' New York’s vital public services, without regard to cost effectiveness, quality or the impact on the people of our city,” said DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts. “The result - the public pays more and gets lower quality of services while city residents are put at risk, public workers are laid off and corruption scandals make the news.”

“When corporations run our city, profits come before people,” said DC 1707 Executive Director Raglan George. “New York’s public service workers are fighting hard to preserve quality public services, protect our community and our kids, and hold elected officials accountable to the public.”

During his tenure, Mayor Bloomberg has contracted out nearly $11 billion in city services, lavishing contracts on for-profit companies, while drastically reducing essential city services. The ads remind New Yorkers that contracting out puts our community at risk and costs this city too much.

AFSCME New York represents 420,000 public services workers across the state, made up of members from
CSEA Local 1000, DC 37, DC 1707, Council 35, Council 66, and Council 82.