Last fall, trouble started brewing in Putnam, a town of 7,000 in the northeast “Quiet Corner” of Connecticut. ABM Industries, a corporate custodial subcontractor hired by Putnam Public Schools (PPS) in 2021, had fired three Putnam school custodians without cause. This included Dan McGinley, former President of Putnam Custodians Union (AFSCME Local 1303-487), which represents about ten custodians.
McGinley had faithfully served PPS for 12 years without any record of discipline, and was affectionately nicknamed “The Sweeper” by Putnam students – so his termination came as a shock. But Putnam custodians were not going to roll over without a fight.
ABM Industries has a notorious record of labor violations across the U.S.– from wage theft, to sexual harassment and abusing workers. The unjust firing of Putnam custodians fit squarely into ABM’s pattern of gross mismanagement and anti-union behavior, and also renewed attention to the ills of outsourcing and privatization.
“One of our members had been waiting almost 200 days for their stolen wages to be returned,” explained McGinley. “This is in line with ABM’s history of over 100 labor violations resulting in penalties of over $200 million for wage theft and safety violations.”
Sandra Hublitz, Putnam High second shift custodian and Local 1303-487 Vice President, was also negatively impacted by ABM.
“They cut my pay, asked me to reapply for my job, and claimed I wasn't an employee… cutting me down to $14 per hour,” said Hublitz. “I had to fight every step of the way. They retro[-actively paid] me for one month out of almost the whole year they owed me.”
Council 4 Staff Representative Cherlyn Poindexter and Service Representative John Cole filed Unfair Labor Practice charges against ABM to begin the fight for restitution to McGinley and his fellow custodians.
On November 14, McGinley spoke during a Putnam Board of Education (BOE) meeting to highlight the harm of taxpayer money going to ABM and demonstrate how privatization is “bad for taxpayers, bad for public services and bad for workers.” He was joined by Council 4 staff and Cargill Tenants Union leaders Katy Slininger and Andrew Larson and their son Noah, a PPS student.
Click here to watch the video of Dan McGinley’s testimony.
McGinley and Putnam custodians were not alone in their working class resistance against exploitation in the area. Cargill Tenants Union, an organization of tenants in Putnam fighting for protections of renters, found natural solidarity with the struggle of Putnam custodians. Their union comprised PPS students and public school teachers, including Larson, a Killingly teacher and member of the State Vocational Federation of Teachers (SVFT), AFT Local 4200A.
Pictured top left (L-R): Jody Barr, Council 4 Executive Director; Katy Slininger, Cargill Tenants Union; Renee Hamel, Council 4 Communications Associate Director; Dan McGinley, Putnam Custodians Union President; Cherlyn Poindexter, Council 4 Staff Representative; Noah Larson-Slininger, Cargill Tenants Union; Andrew Larson, Cargill Tenants Union and SVFT-AFT Local 4200A.
After that mobilization, Council 4 staff filed charges with the Connecticut Commission for Human Rights and Opportunities, bringing pressure on ABM management to finally achieve a resolution for the Putnam custodians. Ultimately, McGinley’s case was settled with restitution, and his coworkers were allowed to return to the job, but the fight for justice did not end there.
Hearing the voices of labor and tenant union members, Putnam BOE with PPS Superintendent Steven Rioux, voted at a January meeting to end their contract with ABM – thus returning the custodians to being public sector workers under the direct employment of the BOE, which took effect in June. This decision was a nearly unprecedented victory for the public sector labor movement, since public work that gets outsourced tends to stay outsourced. This victory demonstrated the potential of workers recognizing their power to speak up and refusing to give up.
The transition also gave Putnam custodians the opportunity to renegotiate their contract, resulting in significant improvements: a 2.5% general wage increase on top of a preexisting 2% increase, a proper disciplinary process, and the ability of custodians to join the preexisting pension plan for Putnam town employees. This new contract was ratified unanimously by Local 1303-487 members on June 18, and was followed immediately by Jamie Bilodeau and Sandra Hublitz getting sworn in respectively as President and Vice President.
Pictured (L-R): Sandra Hublitz and Jamie Bilodeau, Putnam Custodians Union Vice President and President
“We need someone here to represent the group and fight for them, and I’m proud to stand up for my coworkers," said Bilodeau, a first shift Putnam Elementary custodian. “We’re off to a really good start – the BOE is bringing the custodians home.”
Although McGinley retired as president last year, his impact on members was indelible. “Dan helped me out on a lot of major things with pay. He motivated me to step up and help others,” added Hublitz. “I’m happy with the contract, especially since we can renegotiate for next year. We are hoping to get more back from ABM.”
Cargill Tenants Union is also celebrating this victory with Putnam custodians, illuminating hope for labor-tenant solidarity and more victories for union workers and union tenants – together.
“Workers have struggled as rents rise; tenants have felt the brunt of stagnating wages,” said Larson. “Recognizing our struggles as common to the working class unlocks possibilities for cooperation that will make a better future possible for all of us.”
In featured image: Putnam Custodians Union, AFSCME Local 1303-487, after contract ratification and swearing in of new officers
