'We want respect.' Stamford apartment tenants unionize over alleged poor living conditions
Friendship House Tenant Union claims building management has failed to address serious ongoing problems.
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Roaches, mice and mold - that's what tenants in the Friendship House apartments say they've had to deal with for years.
Now, they're taking action into their own hands with the help of the Connecticut Tenant's Union.
"We have bed bug infestations, mice infestation," longtime resident and union leader Cindy Pharr says. "We are dealing with mold, mildew, leaky pipes."
Friendship House Tenant Union claims building management has failed to address serious ongoing problems.
One tenant even claims her son was hospitalized for respiratory issues because of mold in the building.
Dozens of tenants protested on Tuesday to announce the formation of their union.
Pharr says they even delivered a letter to their landlord, New Neighborhoods, to ask them to come to the table and bargain with them.
"We want respect," Pharr says. "We want to be able to come home and live comfortably... we want to be able to come home and not have our bread eaten through by mice."
Whether or not management will bargain with them remains to be seen.
"New Neighborhoods is committed to our residents and to providing safe, quality, affordable housing," the company says in a statement. "We value our residents and take their concerns seriously."
After years of frustration, Pharr says tenants had no other option than to unionize.
"We're not hopeful at all," Pharr says. "It's sad to say, but it's true."
