ADVISORY FOR TODAY:
Saturday, October 28, 2006

CONTACT:
Lynda Tran
202-907-1172

With 1,700 janitors throughout the city on strike…

Janitors and supporters to hold major rally, march in Galleria-area today

Workers and community continue call for good jobs with health care for Houston

HOUSTON — On the sixth day of a strike that has spread in waves from Houston’s downtown business district to Greenway Plaza and the Galleria-area, hundreds of janitors and supporters will attend a rally and march today to continue their call for good jobs with health care. The rally will begin at Grady Park at 2:30PM today October 28 and be followed by a march through the Galleria area.

Approximately 1,700 janitors have joined a strike that began on Monday. Contract talks for more than 5,300 janitors ended Tuesday of last week with Houston’s five largest cleaning companies refusing after months of negotiations to propose even modest pay and benefit improvements to janitors currently making only $20 a day. In addition, the cleaning companies are facing an investigation by the federal labor board over charges they illegally fired and intimidated janitors who have been involved in their union.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS THIS WEEK

Saturday, October 28 - TODAY
2:30PM MARCH FOR JUSTICE
Grady Park, Galleria (corner of San Felipe and Yorktown a few blocks west from 610 exit onto San Felipe.)

Monday, October 30
7:00PM Mass / Prayer Service
Our Lady of Guadelupe

More than 5,300 janitors who clean the majority of Houston’s office space have the lowest wages and benefits of any major city in the United States—earning an average of $5.30/hour with no health or other benefits for almost exclusively part-time work. Since forming a union with SEIU last year, they have been seeking a raise to $8.50/hour, more hours, and health insurance in contract talks with the city’s five largest cleaning companies, ABM, OneSource, GCA, Sanitors, and Pritchard.