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DOORMAN STRIKE PREPAREDNESS, P.2

Doorman Strike Preparedness, p.2

 

Doorman-building residents during a strike typically go downstairs to accept deliveries themselves from typically non-union pizza and dry-cleaning deliverers and the like. Rudd advises against having security temps letting delivery people — and alleged delivery people — into the building. "You don't know what's inside a package" during such times, he notes.

Garbage/Recycling Pickup

Believe it or not — and longtime New Yorkers know to believe it — the New York City Department of Sanitation may well refuse to collect, well, refuse. If past experience is any indication, notes Rudd, "Garbage will not be picked up from picketed buildings until and when a state of health emergency is declared."

What do to? Arrange for additional containers, stock up on garbage bags, and get ready to get your hands dirty. "Have residents volunteer to do jobs in the building normally performed by the buildings staff," says Rudd. Indeed, even celebrities like Susan Sarandon and Peter Jennings famously pitched in on things like running elevators and watching the front door in '91. "With normal household garbage, it either goes down the compactor chute or it's placed on a floor landing and picked up at certain times throughout the day by volunteers." Your union super isn't required to do it unless you're in a smaller building without a porter and garbage collecting is part of his contract.

As for recyclables, says Rudd, ""We give clear plastic bags to people so that they can keep their recyclable in their apartment as long as they can."

Miscellaneous

Other things experts advise: Limit move-ins and move-outs; carefully review your insurance policy and, if necessary, obtain a rider for coverage against vandalism / malicious mischief; and use e-mail (which helps reduce paper clutter) to keep residents apprised of where negotiations stand. That last might not offer news they couldn't learn for themselves on the Internet, but it helps prevent feelings of isolation and uncertainty.

No side wants a strike. Everyone wants workers treated fairly and for co-op and condo buildings to be remain solvent. Goodwill generally prevails. But even when strolling through a beautiful countryside, it doesn't hurt to have a water bottle, a cell phone and some nice, thick socks to avoid blisters. In other words, it never hurts to be prepared. Does hurt to get blisters, though.

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