(George Ricchezza, head of District 1201 of SEIU Local 32BJ, at a recent union protest. Credit: Mike DeNardo)
By Mike DeNardo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — The leader of the Philadelphia school district’s custodians’ union says concession talks have broken down.
But the district says they’re simply “on hold.”
George Ricchezza (in photo), head of the blue-collar workers’ union, says he thought the union had “some kind of agreement” last Friday on millions in job-saving concessions. But he says the district cut off talks on Tuesday.
“We waited Friday, Monday, no response. We contacted them. At that point they told us that there would be no agreement with Local 32BJ District 1201, and they were going to move forward with privatization and layoffs,” Ricchezza said today.
But school district spokesman Fernando Gallard says no decisions have been made, and the district is just waiting to see how much money is coming from City Council (see related stories).
“We have paused negotiations,” Gallard tells KYW Newsradio. “We put them on hold just to give us enough time to understand what our funding situation is going to be.”
Twenty-seven hundred school aides, bus drivers, and maintenance workers have already received layoff notices, and they’re waiting to see if their jobs will exist next month.
MOST VIEWED GALLERIES
- PHOTOS: Angelina Jolie Through The Years
- PHOTOS: Celebrity Infidelity Scandals
- PHOTOS: Celebrity Birthdays: May
- PHOTOS: Top 20 Most Hated Hollywood Celebrities
- PHOTOS: Celebrity Photobombs



Most Romantic US Honeymoon...
GHI @Home - Metal Shingle /...
11th Annual Gary Papa 5K Run-...
Athletes We Wish Stayed In...
Tiger Woods At The US Open At...
Final Round: The U.S. Open At...
Baseball Shots Of The Week –...
Behind the Scenes: TP...
Orr At The Shore 2013
NCC Retro-Rama Party
The Philadelphia Diamonds Of...
2013 US Open At Merion
Storm Photos: June 13, 2013
WIP Morning Show Father's Day...
US Open At Merion Practice...
Julius Erving Through The...







