San Jose, Calif. - Janitors preparing to strike received full backing from the affiliated labor unions of the South Bay, Alameda, San Mateo and Contra Costa counties today including the Teamsters Joint Council 7 who represent the sanitation workers and delivery drivers, as well as the operating engineers, building and construction trades, parking attendants, window cleaners and others. The executive committees of the labor councils voted unanimously to grant strike sanctions to honor SEIU Local 1877 picket lines.

Teamsters have indicated that will not cross picket lines established by striking SEIU janitors.  The action could mean that UPS drivers will not be able to deliver packages, city garbage could go uncollected and construction could be interrupted.

"The Teamsters are behind the janitors 110%," said Larry Daugherty of the Teamsters Local 305 in a morning press conference outside Applied Materials in the Silicon Valley. "Teamsters won't cross janitors' picket lines and that means no trash will be coming out, no deliveries will be going in, period."

Janitors who clean Silicon Valley's high-tech and bio-tech corporate campuses-including Apple, Applied Materials, Cisco Systems, Intel, Oracle, Hewlett-Packard, Google, Yahoo and other facilities-voted overwhelmingly on Saturday, May 17 to walk-off the job. A strike can now being at any time.

"These corporate giants have a responsibility to ensure fair living standards for janitors who provide a valuable service at their properties," said Phaedra Ellis Lamkins, Executive Director of the South Bay Labor Federation. "Bay Area unions strongly support the janitors' strike and we will stand with them as long as it takes to win justice and fair treatment on the job."

Despite servicing some of the most profitable industries and office properties in the state, Silicon Valley/Bay Area janitors less than half of what it takes to survive in California, and far less than janitors doing the same work earn in San Francisco, New York, and Chicago. In addition, they face long waits, as long as 2 ½ years to receive healthcare.

"Janitors work hard to keep these corporations clean and open for business and to provide a better future for their families and we will be supporting the janitors on strike with food and other assistance as long as it takes to win justice," said Pastor John Sullivan, Hope Lutheran Church of Palo Alto and a member of the Interfaith Council.

JANITORS TO CONDUCT 'UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE' STRIKE Irresponsible cleaning contractors have illegally tried to silence janitors who are standing up for justice, according to charges that the janitors' union is preparing to file with the federal labor board against Acme/GCA, Able, ABM, Brilliant, Customized Performance, Diamond, DMS, ISS, Little Giant, One Source, Pacific, Service by Medallion, Service Performance, Somers, UBS, and United Maintenance for unfair labor practices including intimidating, interrogating, harassing, threatening and retaliating against workers.

"The cleaning companies are creating a problem for everyone in the Bay Area including their corporate clients like Apple, Yahoo, HP, and Applied Materials. The janitors are standing up for what's right and we're proud to stand with them," said Neil Struthers, of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Santa Clara and San Benito County.

JANITORS ON STRIKEIn other cities across the country, including Houston and Miami in 2006, Boston in 2002, and Los Angeles and Chicago in 2000, janitors and their allies have led strike-related activities including massive public marches in public parks and down sidewalks and city streets, picket lines outside major office buildings, prayer vigils, hunger fasts, and other forms of non-violent protest.

COMMUNITIES PAYING THE PRICE FOR POVERTY CONDITIONS AMONG JANITORS In April, California state legislators called on the state's top corporations who benefit from the janitor's work to take responsibility for good jobs for the sake of entire communities as they released a report, "The High Cost of Low Wage Service Jobs: How Communities Pay the Price for Poverty Conditions Among Janitors."


For more information about SEIU Local 1877 Justice for Janitors visit: www.seiu-usww.org.