Derwin Catchings, who turned to squeegee work rather than making low wages at a city agency in order to get daily income flow, attends a resource and hiring event for squeegee workers prior to the enforcement of"disallowed zones" Friday, Jan. 6, 2023, in Baltimore. Catchings hopes to find work opportunities at UA House/Living Classrooms. BALTIMORE — — Tyemaur Scott started 2023 with an important New Year’s resolution.
In November, a collaborative of local officials, business leaders, squeegee workers and other stakeholdersto combine limited law enforcement action with robust outreach efforts aimed at connecting economically disadvantaged youths with long-term jobs and other resources, including mentors, workforce training programs and housing support.
Some workers said they were already rethinking squeegeeing after experiencing increased stigma and decreased profits in recent months. For those reasons, along with his mother’s longtime disapproval and his own ambitions, Scott said he decided to turn a new leaf.Scott, 22, said he started squeegeeing around the time he dropped out of high school, because he needed money to support himself. He said he recently was earning between $40 and 200 per day.