Union organizers say the company has reached a new low by firing workers at its Eagan and Maple Grove, Minn., operations and other facilities across the country. So despite bitter cold, two busloads of union members and supporters protested outside the Cintas plant in Maple Grove Monday night.
"Cintas possibly is violating federal and state laws. The people must come together to stand up against these unfair practices," said Uriel Perez Espinoza, vice president of UNITE HERE Local 17, which is organizing Cintas workers in Minnesota.
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| UNITE HERE members and supporters demonstrated Monday night outside the Cintas plant in Maple Grove. |
One Cintas worker said the company fired 10 people in Maple Grove and 15 in Eagan after the workers received "no match" letters from the Social Security Administration indicating possible discrepancies between SSA records and information provided to employers. The Social Security Administration does not require employers to take any action following such letters, which could have a number of causes, including clerical errors, name changes, marriage and divorce.
Instead, across the country Cintas is using these letters as a pretext to terminate and intimidate its employees, many of whom are recent immigrants, UNITE HERE organizers said. Currently, Cintas workers in California, Illinois, Connecticut, Minnesota and Wisconsin face termination.
Since the union drive began, the National Labor Relations Board has ruled Cintas violated federal labor law by threatening, spying on and firing workers at its facilities in Minnesota and other states. The company also has been cited for health and safety violations and is the subject of several racial discrimination lawsuits.
Cintas is the most profitable uniform and laundry company in North America, with sales of more than $3 billion last year and profits of more than $300 million. Yet most production workers report earning wages of $7 to $9 an hour and paying high health insurance costs – prompting them to launch the drive to unionize in 2003.
Rallies have been held at Cintas facilities across the country. Martin Goff, organizing director for Local 17, said public attention should be focused on the company.
"We are going to fight this fight for the good of the community," he said. "We\'re going to continue to build our friends and allies in our communities."
The Twin Cities Religion Labor Network played a visible role at Monday\'s demonstration. Director Matt Gladue said, "Our God believes everyone has human dignity, no matter what papers you carry."
UNITE HERE has an online campaign to send messages to Cintas. For more information, go to http://action.unitehere.org/campaign/justice_for_all_workers
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| Uriel Perez Espinoza (above) addressed the crowd, which included parishioners from the Sacred Heart of Christ church in Minneapolis (below). |
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Union organizers say the company has reached a new low by firing workers at its Eagan and Maple Grove, Minn., operations and other facilities across the country. So despite bitter cold, two busloads of union members and supporters protested outside the Cintas plant in Maple Grove Monday night.
"Cintas possibly is violating federal and state laws. The people must come together to stand up against these unfair practices," said Uriel Perez Espinoza, vice president of UNITE HERE Local 17, which is organizing Cintas workers in Minnesota.
|
| UNITE HERE members and supporters demonstrated Monday night outside the Cintas plant in Maple Grove. |
One Cintas worker said the company fired 10 people in Maple Grove and 15 in Eagan after the workers received "no match" letters from the Social Security Administration indicating possible discrepancies between SSA records and information provided to employers. The Social Security Administration does not require employers to take any action following such letters, which could have a number of causes, including clerical errors, name changes, marriage and divorce.
Instead, across the country Cintas is using these letters as a pretext to terminate and intimidate its employees, many of whom are recent immigrants, UNITE HERE organizers said. Currently, Cintas workers in California, Illinois, Connecticut, Minnesota and Wisconsin face termination.
Since the union drive began, the National Labor Relations Board has ruled Cintas violated federal labor law by threatening, spying on and firing workers at its facilities in Minnesota and other states. The company also has been cited for health and safety violations and is the subject of several racial discrimination lawsuits.
Cintas is the most profitable uniform and laundry company in North America, with sales of more than $3 billion last year and profits of more than $300 million. Yet most production workers report earning wages of $7 to $9 an hour and paying high health insurance costs – prompting them to launch the drive to unionize in 2003.
Rallies have been held at Cintas facilities across the country. Martin Goff, organizing director for Local 17, said public attention should be focused on the company.
"We are going to fight this fight for the good of the community," he said. "We\’re going to continue to build our friends and allies in our communities."
The Twin Cities Religion Labor Network played a visible role at Monday\’s demonstration. Director Matt Gladue said, "Our God believes everyone has human dignity, no matter what papers you carry."
UNITE HERE has an online campaign to send messages to Cintas. For more information, go to http://action.unitehere.org/campaign/justice_for_all_workers
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| Uriel Perez Espinoza (above) addressed the crowd, which included parishioners from the Sacred Heart of Christ church in Minneapolis (below). |
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