Sacramento, Calif. – Members of the California Latino Legislative Caucus released a new report today, “The High Cost of Low Wage Service Jobs” examining the ways in which the state’s top industries -- including commercial real estate, high-tech and bio-tech giants -- are contributing to poverty conditions among the state’s 20,000 janitors.
“California’s top industries that benefit from the janitors’ hard work need to take responsibility to make these service jobs good jobs for the sake of our communities,” said Senator Gil Cedillo, Co-Chair of the Latino Caucus, who spoke at a mid-morning press conference today at the capital.
Janitors are mostly Latino and often work in the obscurity of night servicing California’s most prestigious corporations, but they earn wages so low that they struggle to provide adequate housing for their families. A janitor would need to work 112 hours a week on the current wages just to meet basic needs for a family of four, according to the Economic Policy Institute. Some janitors, such as those in Orange County, pay up to 90% of their income for a one-bedroom apartment. Janitors keep medical research facilities clean and safe but many do not have access to basic healthcare for themselves or their families.
Low Wages, No Access to Healthcare
Maria Aldama, a janitor who spoke with lawmakers at the capital today, cleans one of the nation’s leading medical research facilities but she doesn’t have access to the health care that she needs. Maria suffers from severe asthma and sometimes can’t afford the inhalers that help her get through her shift. “Our work is very tough and on bad days the strain on my body makes my asthma worse. I wish I could just go to the doctor when I needed it, but there’s nothing I can do to alleviate my asthma – not without medical attention,” said Aldama, who is one of more than 1,500 San Diego-area janitors who earn among the lowest wages in the entire state with no access to healthcare for themselves or their families.
“We believe California’s leading industries in high-tech, bio-tech and real estate, have an enormous obligation to ensure quality jobs for janitors throughout California,” said Assembly member Mary Salas. “It’s time for some of the most successful and prosperous of companies to step up and help build stable and vibrant communities where janitors live and work.”
Historic Opportunity To Raise Standards, Improve Entire Communities
California’s top industries have an historic opportunity now during contract negotiations for 20,000 of the state’s janitors, to agree to decent wages and family healthcare.
“While many people in Silicon Valley are flourishing from the new advances in technology, others are falling further behind and struggling to make ends meet. The high cost of living and rising transportation and food prices are making it even more difficult for janitors to access health care and pay the bills. I call on high-tech companies to show leadership and make sure these workers receive decent wages and have affordable health care,” said Assembly member Alberto Torrico.
Good Jobs for Our Communities
“Simple justice demands that people who work hard and provide valuable services are able to provide their families with a decent quality of life that permits their children the opportunity to climb the economic ladder,” said Junious Williams, Urban Strategies Council, who’s father was a janitor. “My father and mother, a nurse's aide, were able to buy a home, raise six kids, and help their children graduate from high school, go on to college and succeed in life. While admittedly in a different era, my family's experience shows what living wages and health care can do to create family stability and inter-generational progress. This would not have happened without fair-minded employers who cared about their workers and, later, union protections.”
For more information about SEIU Justice for Janitors California Contract Campaign 2008 and to download the report sponsored by the California Latino Legislative Caucus, visit: www.seiu-usww.org.