The prestigious all-women’s Barnard College laid off an eight-month pregnant custodian in a bid to skip out on paying her maternity leave while keeping a more junior male worker, according to a grievance from her union.
The dismissal allegedly violated a collective bargaining agreement, the union claims, and the expectant mother with two kids at home now has no income or healthcare coverage for herself or her imminently growing family, she said.
“How could an all-women’s college just not care?” said custodian Shakira Zahiruddin, 32, who also has two other children, aged 7 and 13. “I feel left alone and I am extremely worried for my kids moving forward.” 7
Zahiruddin was one of the 77 workers laid off this summer , according to an announcement from Barnard, which came only weeks a