(Memphis) Memphis City School custodian workers have posted a YouTube video about losing their jobs in the consolidation of Memphis City and Shelby County Schools next school year.
“The original TPC recommendations had made the assertion that they could save $25 million by outsourcing custodial services. Now we’ve always challenged that because they’ve shown no supporting numbers for that. Now that number is down to $13 million in savings,” explained AFSCME Local 1733 Executive Director Chad Johnson.
Johnson said workers could get jobs with a contractor but will likely have their pay cut, “We are talking about people that are making somewhere in the neighborhood of 12-14 dollars an hour.”
Monday night Shelby County Commissioners voted on the first of three readings which would require 1400 MCS employees that live outside of the county to move into the county within 5 years.
“I would think that it would only be sensible and logical that they would do the same thing for teachers that are now in Memphis City that the currents teachers that met residency requirements when they were hired be grandfathered into this district,” said Memphis Education Association president Keith Williams.
“With this housing market and the way things are is it easy to sell and move at this time,” added Williams.
County Commissioners will have two other chances to change the residency ordinance.
Shelby County School Board members meet Tuesday evening at 5:30 at the Teaching and Learning Center on Union to discuss the budget.