MEDIA ADVISORY FOR:
Thursday, February 8, 2007

Contact:
Lynda Tran, 202-907-1172

MEDIA ADVISORY for Thursday, February 8

With protesters in court over nonviolent protests during janitors’ strike…

Civil Rights and Community Leaders to Question Use of Taxpayer Dollars to Prosecute Acts of Conscience

“Why direct action? Why sit-ins, marches and so forth? Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue.”

—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Letter from Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963

Houston -– Local civil rights activists, faith and community leaders will join janitors to question the use of taxpayer dollars to prosecute acts of conscience at a press conference at 2PM on Thursday on the steps of the Harris County Criminal Justice Center with the first wave of protesters in court for participating in nonviolent direct action during Houston janitors’ month-long strike last fall. Janitors and community leaders will also share the results of a new poll of Houston residents regarding the use of nonviolent direct action during the janitors’ strike.

WHAT: Press Conference on Janitors’ Use of Nonviolent Direct Action

WHO: Pastor Ian Uriarte, Logos Communities
Teodoro Aguiluz, CRECEN
Maria Jiménez, CRECEN
Mike Espinoza, Community Activist
SEIU janitors

WHEN: 2PM Thursday, February 8

WHERE: Steps outside Harris County Criminal Justice Center (Franklin and San Jacinto)

VISUAL: Janitors and supporters in purple t-shirts carrying signs, brightly colored banners, noise-makers

Last fall, Houston janitors held an intense month-long strike characterized by daily public demonstrations and multiple nonviolent protests in which janitors and supporters risked arrest. After a week of historic levels of direct action protests resulting in the arrests of 60 workers and activists, more than 5,300 local janitors won higher wages, more work hours, and health care in their first-ever city-wide union contract.