Search Results for: Justice for Janitors in California
Workers Across California Join Coast-to-Coast Marches Commemorating 25th Anniversary of “Justice for Janitors” Strike
Workers Renew Effort to Fight Poverty; Focus on Halting Wage Theft
Thousands of workers participated in rallies and marches across California in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of “Justice for Janitors Day,” with 30 cities across the country holding commemorative actions. In Los Angeles, Orange County, Santa Clara, Sacramento and San Diego janitors, workers and community allies marked the occasion by mobilizing for a new fight:curbing wage theft that steals the American Dream from workers in low-wage jobs.
“Today we renew our commitment for justice, dignity, and equality, just like when we did 25 years ago when we were attacked by the police as we marched peacefully through the streets of Century City,” said Evangelina Lopez, a janitor who was at the protest in 1990.
Workers also expressed their solidarity with the community of Charleston as they grieve the fallen victims of a senseless shooting spree at the oldest AME church in the south.
“The church is a very important symbol for all of us because it has a long tradition of resistance against racism and oppression,” said Kawana Anderson, a security officer member of SEIU-USWW. “Martin Luther King Jr. gave his speech on voting rights and making the American Dream a reality at that AME church. Today we stand as one family in solidarity.”
Workers also talked about tackling wage theft – the widespread practice by which unscrupulous employers undercut wages by paying workers for fewer hours than they actually work, pay less than the minimum wage, refuse to pay overtime as required by law, or misclassify workers as contractors. Although federal, state and local laws prohibit such abuses, enforcement of critical labor laws lacks teeth, and few workers are able to recover any of their back pay even with a court ordered judgment in their favor.
In Los Angeles, janitors and other workers in low-wage industries led the fight for a $15 an hour minimum wage with a new city bureau dedicated to enforcement of the law. Workers have also succeeded in securing tougher enforcement of wage laws in Santa Clara County, and SB 588 (De León), The Fair Day’s Pay Act, is now being considered in the State Assembly.
About Justice for Janitors Day
On June 15, 1990 a peaceful protest of mostly immigrant janitors in Los Angeles, took a quick turn when police officers confronted marchers striking them with batons. The confrontation led to more than three-dozen marchers being injured. That event garnered international sympathy and support for the janitor’s movement, and ultimately became a flashpoint for one of the most successful low-wage worker campaigns in recent history.
Since 1990, the Justice for Janitors movement has organized more than 133,000 janitors – bringing higher wages, benefits and standards to these workers, and providing families the ability to buy homes, pay for doctor’s visits, and save for college and retirement. Their victories and strategies paved the way to organize thousands more in new industries such as security and airports.
Janitors are now in the midst of the largest private-sector collective bargaining fight in the United States. More than 130,000 janitors, in 33 cities, will bargain contracts over the next two years, directly affecting the lives of nearly half a million men, women, and children.
Janitors in Chicago and Cleveland won historic contracts earlier this year.
The 25th anniversary of Justice for Janitors day falls at a time when a full 42% of the American workforce is still paid less than $15/hr, and the call for “$15 and a union” is louder than ever. The Justice for Janitors movement has proven that workers can win in tough economic times, which is why they have joined the Fight for 15 are fighting alongside airport workers, security officer, homecare workers, adjunct professors, and fast food workers.
MEDIA ALERT FOR THURSDAY, JUNE 18
MEDIA ALERT FOR THURSDAY, JUNE 18
California Janitors Join Coast to Coast Actions:
Commemorating 25th Anniversary of “Justice for Janitors” Strike Workers Renew Effort to Fight Poverty in Marches Across California Thursday; Focus on Halting Wage Theft CALIFORNIA – Thousands of workers across the state will rally to celebrate the 25th anniversary of “Justice for Janitors Day” and renew their united fight with a focus on curbing wage theft that steals the American Dream from workers in low-wage jobs.
Commemorating 25th Anniversary of “Justice for Janitors” Strike Workers Renew Effort to Fight Poverty in Marches Across California Thursday; Focus on Halting Wage Theft CALIFORNIA – Thousands of workers across the state will rally to celebrate the 25th anniversary of “Justice for Janitors Day” and renew their united fight with a focus on curbing wage theft that steals the American Dream from workers in low-wage jobs.
In California, janitors are leading the fight against wage theft, a widespread practice by which unscrupulous employers undercut wages by paying workers for fewer hours than they actually work, pay less than the minimum wage, refuse to pay overtime as required by law, or misclassify workers as contractors. Although federal, state and local laws prohibit such abuses, enforcement of critical labor laws lacks teeth, and few workers are able to recover any of their back pay even with a court ordered judgment in their favor. Workers are leading the way to toughen enforcement at all levels, with recent victories in Los Angeles and Santa Clara County, and SB 588 (De León), The Fair Day’s Pay Act, is now being considered in the State Assembly.
The week of June 15 commemorates the day that became a flashpoint for one of the most successful underpaid worker campaigns in recent history and brought the Justice for Janitors movement onto the national scene. What started as a peaceful worker protest ended with janitors being beaten by Los Angeles police officers. Janitors across the country are engaged in the largest private-sector organizing initiative in the country. Chicago and Cleveland won historic contracts earlier this year.
Events Across California
Janitors across the state will join their brothers and sisters in more than 30 cities across the country to hold commemorative actions and renew their commitment to wage justice for working families. The following rallies will take place in California this Thursday, June 18:
Los Angeles 12 Noon Roxbury Park at Roxbury Dr. and Olympic Blvd. Century City Contact: Refugio Mata (805) 428-4075; refugio.mata@seiu-usww.org Orange County 12 Noon 2601 Main St. Contact: Marisol Rivera (714) 448-5378; marisol.rivera@seiu-usww.org San Diego 12 Noon 750 B Street San Diego Contact: Genoveva Aguilar (619) 249-9597; genoveva.aguilar@seiu-usww.org Sacramento 11 AM 300 Capitol Mall Sacramento Contact: Lino Pedres (916) 275-2039; lino.pedres@seiu-usww.org Santa Clara 12 Noon 3979 Freedom Circle Santa Clara Contact: Melissa Chadburn (213) 434-2929; melissa.chadburn@seiu-usww.org
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Win Against Wage Theft in the State Senate!
We won approval of SB 588 in the State Senate – a bill that will finally begin to address the rampant practice of wage theft across California. Senate President Pro Tem Kevin De Leon came to our rally before the vote to express his unwavering support for the bill.
Caravans from all over the state – from Southern and Northern California – converged in Sacramento for a big push against wage theft. Members of SEIU-USWW, KIWA, Car Washeros, IDEPSCA jornaleros, SEIU California, and other allies rallied with a united voice at the Capitol and in the lead up to the vote.
Up next is the State Assembly but the vote in the Senate marked a pivotal point for workers. Widespread wage violations are a symptom of a larger breakdown in the fundamentals of a fair economy, and a driver of income inequality in our nation.
Every week, workers in low-wage industries take home paychecks that fall far short of what they need to provide the basics of food and shelter for their families. Saving for college or retirement is an impossible dream. To make matters worse, the vast majority (83%) of workers who win their wage theft cases never see a dime.
A report by U.S. Labor Secretary Perez released late last year found that there are nearly 400,000 minimum wage violations in California every week. Raising the wage is one challenge – but enforcing it is another challenge, perhaps even a bigger challenge.
But we can begin to address this problem with Senate Bill 588 that targets deadbeat employers to make sure they won’t steal wages from workers again.
SB588 empowers the Labor Commissioner with better tools to go after repeat offenders and helps workers collect unpaid judgments in three ways:
(1) IT TARGETS DEADBEAT EMPLOYERS.
(2.) SB 588 REDUCES ABUSE OF OUR CORPORATE LAWS by extending individual accountability.
(3) SB 588 empowers the labor commissioner to improve collections of stolen wages.
Our coalition has been leading in the Fight for 15 campaign, which has already sparked minimum wage increases for over 80 million Americans. Just very recently, we were able to secure a historic vote in Los Angeles to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, which will lift 700,000 Angelenos out of poverty!
But we have to make sure that we put real teeth in California’s labor laws to keep deadbeat employers accountable!
We have to keep telling our stories, and keep up the pressure for action.
Up next, on the week of June 15 working people will march against wage theft on Justice for Janitors Day.
Stay tuned. Se puede?!
Community to Escalate Against Building Service Company Worsening Living Standards for Struggling Families
*** Media Advisory for Thursday, April 23 ***
Contact: Colin O’leary, colin.oleary@seiu-usww.org or (415) 374-6074
Community to Escalate Against Building Service Company Worsening Living Standards for Struggling Families
Contractor’s Arrogant Defiance of Law Would Set Dangerous Precedent
San Francisco, CA – A coalition of labor, community, and local leaders will confront Park Merced apartment leasing management — one of the largest privately owned residential complex in the country in what is one of the most profitable industries in the world — over the decision to terminate the employment of an entire staff that has worked at the location for years, in some cases decades, and select Preferred Building Services — a contractor known to violate the law, pay below area standards, and drop benefits for workers.
WHAT: Protest against treatment of maintenance workers in controversial high-rise apartment project.
WHEN: Thursday, April 23 at noon.
WHERE: Park Merced External Leasing Office. 3711 Nineteenth AVE, San Francisco, CA 94132.
Preferred Building Services was hired last week under murky conditions, which resulted in the dismissal of long-term janitors and handymen workers that benefited from stable wages, benefits, and a union. Existing local and state law dictate that maintenance employees must be offered work and retained for a certain period when a maintenance contractor changes. Preferred Building Services failed to comply with this process and is thus in defiance of the law.
Allowing Preferred Building Services to unilaterally refuse to comply with laws designed to protect workers in the low wage industry sets a dangerous precedent for families most vulnerable to the Bay area’s sky rocketing livings costs. It is also in contradiction of Park Merced Investors Group’s previous search for union-friendly contractors to replace outgoing VMP Maintenance Management.
A growing coalition is calling on Parkmerced management to respect and recognize union standards for janitors and handymen and support reinstatement of their employment. Coalition supporters include Jobs with Justice, Chinese Progressive Association, San Francisco Grey Panthers, San Francisco ACCE, California Faculty Association San Francisco State Chapter, United Educators of San Francisco, American Federation of Teachers Local 2121, SEIU 1021, California Nurses Association, and Supervisors Eric Mar, John Avalos, and David Campos.
Undermining pay and benefit standards for workers already being hit by rising living costs is the latest pattern of exhibited behavior for Park Merced. The project has been known to stir controversy among local families concerned with being displaced and priced out of living in the area.
The incident at Park Merced puts into question its wealthy developer’s intentions and consequences of its actions within the raging debate on gentrification as it seeks to construct luxury housing in other parts of the city.
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