Chicago Library Janitors Laid Off

CHICAGO (CBS)-- About 70 Chicago Public Library custodians learned this morning they're out of work.

The city told them in May it was privatizing their jobs, but the workers say they were hoping to keep working.

Their Union, SEIU Local 73 had been in negotiations with the city but was unable to get them work in another department.

They were making about 16 dollars an hour.

Workers were angry this morning when they showed up for a mandatory meeting on the North Side.

Tondaleya Watkins is one of the custodians out of work.

"This is like a slap in the face," said Watkins. "What we make is not going to make a dent in the budget. It's not going to help the budget at all."

Several custodians mentioned Christmas.

"Around Christmas time, you figure that you have bills, you want to buy gifts," said Zachary Marshall. "But now since you are going to be laid off and you don't know how the unemployment game is going to play out, you need to make sure that you have every nickel and dime counted so you can be able to survive."

LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio's Mike Krauser Reports