Custodians Lobby Their Council Members

Dozens of custodians and groundskeepers who work in Metro Schools flooded the Metro Council on Tuesday to meet their council member and share their concerns about the possibility of their jobs being outsourced to a private contractor.

Jackie Jonte, an SEIU member and custodian at Donelson Middle school, told his councilman Darren Jernigan of Old Hickory, "I can't afford to lose my health insurance."  Jernigan replied, "I won't vote for a budget that privatizes the custodians and groundskeepers".  Frank Hunter, a custodian at Hattie Cotten Elementary, spoke with his council member Lonnell Matthews about the unfairness of the whole situation.  "I've worked in the school system for 9 years, I've been a loyal, hard-working city employee and this is the thanks I get?"  Kurtis Shobe, a custodian at Hume-Fogg, loaded his four children into strollers and took a bus to get to the Metro Council.  "I have four kids and another one on the way," Shobe said.  "I need my health insurance and I can't afford to take a pay cut with all these mouths to feed.  I want to make sure that I do everything I can to protect my family."

Some of the council members were surprised at how custodians were being pro-active since there was nothing about the school district even on the meeting agenda.  "You mean y'all just came out here a month before the budget gets voted on," asked councilman Eric Crafton.  "That's smart - usually people don't come down here until the last minute."

Most of the custodians who came to the council meeting have never been to city hall before and for many, their first trip there was a good one.  "I thought it went great." said Darrell Lillard, who lobbied his councilman, Jim Forkum.  "The council members were really listening and I feel like this made a difference.  If all the custodians decided to set up a meeting with their councilman or went to all the union meetings, I don't think we'd have anything to worry about".

Unfortunately, because of various committee meetings being held before the council started, about a dozen workers who came were unable to speak to their council member.  We encourage them (and all school employees) to follow up and make a phone call or send an email to them.  And don't forget to call the Mayor's office at 862-6000 and tell him to make sure custodians and groundskeepers get to stay in the budget as city employees.