International Support
Houston's janitors are receiving international support from sister unions and community organizations.
There have been delegations by union and social justice activists in Mexico City, Moscow, Berlin and London, as well as other actions in Panama City, all calling on Hines-Houston's largest landlord-to stop standing in the way of Houston janitors' efforts to move out of poverty. Similar actions have been held at Chevron-owned gas stations in London and Utrecht, Netherlands.
Panama
UNI Sindicato Global sent a letter to Hines Interests leadership in Panama, expressing their solidarity with Houston janitors.
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Mexico (7)
19 members of the STRACC (gas station workers) and 16 members of the SUTGDF (Mexico City government workers) held a two hour-long, visual protest in front of the Torre del Ángel building on Mexico City's busiest street, where Hines de México headquarters are located. The workers distributed 4,000 leaflets within an hour to cars, buses and pedestrians, and walked among traffic at one of Mexico City's busiest intersections carrying 20 signs supporting the janitors in Houston. -
Germany (10)
In early November in Berlin, a delegation of activists went to a Hines property and were able to meet for over 20 minutes with the senior Hines representative. He watched a video clip of workers in Houston and discussed the low standards in the US with the delegation. More recently a group of 50 activists, led by ver.di, went again to Hines related properties in Berlin to hand out leaflets. -
England (3)
England In London, TGWU activists led leafleting at two Chevron ('Texaco') petrol stations. The message to the many onlookers was that they were taking action in solidarity with the cleaners in Houston.