Handy cleaners work hard and we aren't paid fairly for this work. We have to keep track of our schedules, travel sometimes great distances to our jobs, provide our own cleaning supplies, and then perform back breaking work to clean the nastiest parts of people's houses. Many of us are only receiving minimum wage for this work, like the Handy cleaners of New York City. We deserve to be paid more.

Handy should work to pay cleaners above the minimum wage in their respective cities. NYC cleaners are currently paid only $15 an hour, the minimum wage for this city. It's only fair for the excruciating work we perform that we receive more. Handy can add increased pay in increments.A 50 jobs, a $2 increase should be granted, and then every 50 jobs there after a $.50 cent increase till we cap at $22.50 an hour. 

I started working for Handy some months ago and it became my full time job. I travel by NYC train and bus every day to new houses, with new clients, to clean their home. I bring a very heavy load of supplies with me daily; including a vacuum, a mop, a broom, sprays, sponges, brushes, gloves, paper towels, and towels. I always work the entire shift as required, and I often perform up to 4 jobs in one day; meaning that I usually work from 5 AM till 11 PM when accounting for travel time in between. I always work at least 60 hours a week to make rent, and I live in the cheapest borough of the Bronx. 

Every day I do not have much time for lunch, often working on an empty stomach, and I often asleep while riding public transportation. I even started to set alarms on my phone, sometimes only 15 minutes while riding a train, so that I can get some much needed sleep. Public transportation is absolutely necessary in NYC, with parking being absolutely impossible, so you must be strong to carry your supplies everywhere.

Also, I am a small woman, and I've lost much weight since beginning this job. Also, cleaning houses is very dirty work with many chemicals involved. Shortly after beginning this job,  I had to take a trip to the doctor for coughing fits that were hurting my ribs. It felt like someone had punched me in the stomach and when out in public I would cough so much that people around me would grimace. People often mistake me for a homeless person sleeping on the train, with all my luggage of Handy supplies.

The job is so demeaning at times, and at minimum wage it is heartless for Handy to ask so much of their workers. We're asking Handy to do what's right and increase the pay.