FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 16, 2005
CONTACT:
Amber Goodwin
713-907-0008
Janitors, Community Supporters Call on Houston's Largest Cleaning Companies to Provide Affordable Health Care, Good Jobs
More than 100 community, religious and elected leaders have pledged to support "Justice for Janitors"
HOUSTON -- Several thousand Houston janitors and more than one hundred of their community supporters today called on Houston's largest cleaning companies to provide affordable health and good jobs for their workers. Some of these companies have responded to the efforts of Houston janitors to form a union by taking action against their employees, including threatening employees with reprisals for engaging in union activity.
In Houston, the largest cleaning companies pay janitors an average of $5.25 per hour and do not provide health benefits. In other cities, the companies provide family health benefits and pay employees between $10-20 an hour. The five largest janitorial firms in Houston are all large, national companies -- ABM, OneSource, GCA (formerly known as ABS), Sanitors, and Pritchard.
"Without health insurance, we cannot afford to go to the doctor if someone in my family gets sick," said Houston janitor Roberto Jacinto, an ABM employee. "We are united and ready to do whatever it takes to win health care and a better future."
This Monday July 18, federal investigators from the National Labor Relations Board will begin investigating Unfair Labor Practice charges, to be brought by SEIU on behalf of janitors, alleging that some of the companies have illegally interfered with, restrained and coerced janitors trying to improve their lives by exercising their freedom to choose to form a union.
"The actions of some of these companies are deeply disappointing," said City Councilmember Adrian Garcia. "Businesses, workers, and the community should be working together in Houston to provide affordable health care and good jobs. The Houston community and janitors are united and will not allow large national companies to stand in the way of good jobs for working families in Houston."
The janitors also announced today that more than 100 community, religious and elected leaders, churches, and organizations so far have pledged their public support to the janitors in their effort to win good jobs, affordable health care and better treatment on the job. The number of organizations and community leaders who have pledged their support the janitors has more than doubled since April 30.
The janitors, with the backing of Houston's community, religious and elected leaders, are in the midst of an historic campaign to secure family health care, fair wages, full-time work, and better working conditions by uniting to form a union with SEIU (Service Employees International Union), the nation's largest union of janitors and other immigrant workers.
More than 200,000 janitors in more than 28 cities throughout the United States have united in SEIU and improved their lives as part of the national movement called "Justice for Janitors." Houston janitors work for the same cleaning companies, and clean buildings owned by many of the same large, national real estate companies.
SEIU janitors in cities throughout the country have pledged to support the struggle of Houston janitors.
"Janitors in Chicago, New York, and other cities are ready to give our support to Houston janitors who are being mistreated," said José Bernal, a janitor in the Chicago suburbs and a member of SEIU Local 1. "Your fight is our fight."