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CNN Live At Daybreak

'Talk of CNN'

Aired October 01, 2002 - 05:16   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It's time for the Talk of CNN, where we find out what people across the country are talking about.
So what are the hot topics in Boston?

For that we check in with Ralphie, Heather and Karen of the Star 93.7 Morning Show from Radio Station WQSX in Boston.

Good morning.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, good morning, Carol. How are you?

COSTELLO: I'm fine. How are you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Doing good. But things are going to start getting a little stinky around here.

COSTELLO: Uh-oh. Why?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, the janitors went out on strike. They officially went on strike with the beginning of last night's four to 12 shift. They've protested so far 80 buildings in town. They've got another 40 targeted for today. And we're wondering if they're going to come hit our building because we are a part of that union contract, the building that this station is in.

COSTELLO: Do they have a point? I mean should they be out on strike?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, they do want better health benefits, better pay and I really do hope it gets settled soon, because I'm not bringing my rubber gloves in any time soon, I have to tell you, Carol.

COSTELLO: You might have to start working because I understand there's an organization called The Service Employees International Union and it's been going across the country organizing janitors to strike just like they are in Boston right now.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, if you think about it, I mean what is so hard to pay these people for doing a job that really not a lot of people sign up to do?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Exactly.

COSTELLO: Oh, you're not kidding. I understand that some clear about $360 a week.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, they, basically they get paid part-time wages, they work full-time hours and they get no benefits. You know, they've got a bit of a beef here and it's, but it's going to really wreak havoc. They had a protest over the weekend in the city. They shut down traffic in Copley Square, one of our big intersections in town. And they're ready for the long haul.

COSTELLO: Oh, so they're really serious about this? They're doing things like shutting down traffic? What else do they have in mind?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, they're going to target more buildings today. Today's actually the first day of the day shift being affected by the picket line, so this will be an interesting wait and see thing with the strike happening on the West Coast and now the janitors on the East Coast, it's going to be a big topic of conversation here in town today.

COSTELLO: Well, and many of these people who do this kind of work come from other countries and they feel they have no power in the first place so maybe it's a good thing that this union organization has come to town. I don't know. What do the people who hire the janitors think about that?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, they think that the deal they're putting on the table now is more than adequate. But I don't think what these people realize is that, you know, you're dealing with a union town. You're in the Northeast part of this country and unions, they have a lot of say so in this town.

COSTELLO: Exactly.

OK, Ralphie, Heather and Karen of 93.7, thank you very much for joining DAYBREAK. And we'll check back with you next week. And I hope you don't have to wear your rubber gloves, but I think they're going to have to clean up for themselves. That'll teach them a lesson.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired October 1, 2002 - 05:16   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It's time for the Talk of CNN, where we find out what people across the country are talking about.
So what are the hot topics in Boston?

For that we check in with Ralphie, Heather and Karen of the Star 93.7 Morning Show from Radio Station WQSX in Boston.

Good morning.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, good morning, Carol. How are you?

COSTELLO: I'm fine. How are you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Doing good. But things are going to start getting a little stinky around here.

COSTELLO: Uh-oh. Why?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, the janitors went out on strike. They officially went on strike with the beginning of last night's four to 12 shift. They've protested so far 80 buildings in town. They've got another 40 targeted for today. And we're wondering if they're going to come hit our building because we are a part of that union contract, the building that this station is in.

COSTELLO: Do they have a point? I mean should they be out on strike?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, they do want better health benefits, better pay and I really do hope it gets settled soon, because I'm not bringing my rubber gloves in any time soon, I have to tell you, Carol.

COSTELLO: You might have to start working because I understand there's an organization called The Service Employees International Union and it's been going across the country organizing janitors to strike just like they are in Boston right now.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, if you think about it, I mean what is so hard to pay these people for doing a job that really not a lot of people sign up to do?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Exactly.

COSTELLO: Oh, you're not kidding. I understand that some clear about $360 a week.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, they, basically they get paid part-time wages, they work full-time hours and they get no benefits. You know, they've got a bit of a beef here and it's, but it's going to really wreak havoc. They had a protest over the weekend in the city. They shut down traffic in Copley Square, one of our big intersections in town. And they're ready for the long haul.

COSTELLO: Oh, so they're really serious about this? They're doing things like shutting down traffic? What else do they have in mind?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, they're going to target more buildings today. Today's actually the first day of the day shift being affected by the picket line, so this will be an interesting wait and see thing with the strike happening on the West Coast and now the janitors on the East Coast, it's going to be a big topic of conversation here in town today.

COSTELLO: Well, and many of these people who do this kind of work come from other countries and they feel they have no power in the first place so maybe it's a good thing that this union organization has come to town. I don't know. What do the people who hire the janitors think about that?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, they think that the deal they're putting on the table now is more than adequate. But I don't think what these people realize is that, you know, you're dealing with a union town. You're in the Northeast part of this country and unions, they have a lot of say so in this town.

COSTELLO: Exactly.

OK, Ralphie, Heather and Karen of 93.7, thank you very much for joining DAYBREAK. And we'll check back with you next week. And I hope you don't have to wear your rubber gloves, but I think they're going to have to clean up for themselves. That'll teach them a lesson.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com