Union: Make AC Standard
School Kitchen Staff Still Boiling in Heat

By MEREDITH KOLODNER

Chicken strips weren't the only things baking in school kitchens last week.

JOEL I. KLEIN: Being cool is no breeze.

About 75 percent of the kitchens open for the summer session have no air conditioning, and the string of 90-degree high-humidity days drove the mercury past 100 degrees inside many of them.

Appeal to Spitzer

Department of Education officials say they are modernizing the kitchens as they modernize the school buildings. But the union that represents the kitchen workers is making a push to get Albany to mandate some relief. They launched a postcard-writing campaign last week urging Governor Spitzer to sign legislation that would force the city to use state money to cool the kitchens.

"Many of those schools are very, very old," said Schools Chancellor Joel Klein at a press event last month, "and, for example, people think it's just the cost of air conditioning, but you simply cannot wire the school without fundamentally rewiring the whole school, and that would put it out of commission for a long time."

TONY FERINA: Doesn't buy DOE's claim.

School employees, who this summer will churn out more than 6.5 million meals, have been complaining about the heat for years, asking for improved ventilation systems or that the DOE only open kitchens during the summer that have air conditioning. DOE officials assert that the kitchens are in compliance with building codes, but workers have reported fainting and vomiting as a result of the conditions.

'Dealing With Some of It'

"Obviously during the hot weather, I wish we had universal air-conditioning in every single school," said Mr. Klein, after being asked whether the DOE is planning to spend money to cool the kitchens, "but we are dealing with some of it under the capital plan."

Meanwhile, District Council 37 is planning to bombard the Capitol with messages from its membership, asking for a respite from the heat. The post-card campaign began last week, but the legislation, which would establish air temperature standards and cooling requirements, has not yet been sent to the Governor's desk for his consideration.

"The city always says they don't have the funds," said Tony Ferina, a shop steward in Local 372, which represents the kitchen staff, "but the issue is whether they feel that it's important to accommodate the members with a healthy work environment."