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he
business of window washing is a lucrative one that has always
attracted workers. A starter can easily make $8,000 a month
by buying a small route, or a client list, from an established
contractor, says Jerry
Lucacher, 66, who has worked as an independent contractor since
1967.
If the starter can pick up big clients like chain stores,
he can make as much as a lawyer, Lucacher says. "One guy sold
his $45,000-a-month route and is still in business."
Some people are drawn to the profession for the thrill of
being suspended high up. Whether the reason is the money or
the thrill, New York is the perfect city for them.
John Stager, 60, president of AFL-CIO's Local Chapter 2, a
window washers' union in the city that was formed in 1916,
says New York has over one-third of all high-rises (over 10
stories above ground) in the country. Most of them are in
New York City.
With all the glory, however, washing the window on high-rises
can be dangerous. Every year, there are a few reports of window
washers falling. Very few of them survive.
Experienced window washers say most accidents occur because
of lack of attention. They also know who can and cannot be
a high-rise specialist by looking at him. The first thing
they look at is the body weight and size. Then it's the agility
and mental toughness.
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Weingard
on a ledge of a residential building near NYU.
(PHOTO:
C. Rae Jung)
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But
no matter how fit someone might be, if he can't clean the
window, he cannot go up. Everyone starts out on the ground
floor - literally. Usually it takes a few years before one
can have enough skills to be ready for a high-rise job.
Brent Weingard, 42, who started working s a window washer
since age 19, says he is still earning new skills. He can
move in and out of windows as if they were doors, but he is
keen on learning ways to teach his employees better. There
will come a time when his physical agility and mental faculty
might not hold up. One mistake can be fatal where he works.
No one knows exactly how many window washers there are in
New York. The Local 2 Union claims to have over 1,000 members.
Many window washers prefer to stay away from the union. But
as long as there are windows to clean on high-rises, we will
see eager souls dangling high atop buildings, trying to reach
for the top.
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