Even before the vote, the janitors\' stand had an effect. Javier Morillo-Alicea, president of Service Employees International Union Local 26, said a federal mediator called him Saturday morning to say the employers were interested in resuming bargaining. No date was set.
"That phone call this morning is progress," Morillo-Alicea told union members gathered at the Minneapolis Labor Center. "We have to keep the pressure up. As long as there is progress, there is no strike. But we can\'t back down."
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| Janitors voted overwhelmingly Saturday to authorize a strike. |
Local 26 represents 4,200 union janitors who clean office buildings throughout the Twin Cities. They work for cleaning contractors such as Marsden, ABM and MSI. Key issues in the talks are health care and full-time jobs.
Of the 2,200 members with families who are eligible for the employers\' family coverage, only 14 can afford to have it, the union said.
"I work full-time, but my family is buried under medical bills," said Lucrecia Mares, a janitor in Minnetonka. "My daughter has to get a test for her stomach condition, but without affordable insurance, we haven\'t been able to take her to the doctor."
Employers are offering only a 20-cent wage increase -- leaving Twin Cities janitors far below their counterparts in cities such as Chicago and Philadelphia, the union said. Contractors also have rejected the union\'s proposal to increase the number of full-time jobs.
"They have offered us only 20 cents and that\'s just a joke," said Cecelia Garcia, a member of the bargaining committee. "I am ready to fight against this lack of respect for us."
Two weeks ago, contractors left the bargaining table after giving the union what they said was their final offer. The contract between the union and cleaning companies expired Dec. 31.
Morillo-Alicea emphasized that Saturday\'s vote did not mean a strike was certain. The union\'s bargaining committee will decide if and when to call a walkout, he said.
Brendan Cummins, attorney for the union, said Local 26 has filed numerous unfair labor practices against the contractors for intimidating employees. He said that if a walkout occurs, the union will seek to have the National Labor Relations Board declare an unfair labor practice strike, meaning the strikers could not be permanently replaced.
Congressman Keith Ellison joined several legislators, Minneapolis City Council members, and community, labor and religious leaders at the meeting Saturday.
"This fight is about the future of the Twin Cities and the state of Minnesota," said Ellison. "We can choose to live in a community with part-time jobs and no benefits, or we can stand up for full-time jobs that support a family and affordable health care for everyone."
Support from elected officials is part of a community solidarity campaign building around the janitors. In addition, several union janitors will arrive in the Twin Cities starting Tuesday from Chicago, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Detroit, Houston and other cities to assist in the campaign, the union said.
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| Javier Morillo-Alicea, flanked by members of the bargaining committee, addressed union members. |
 |
| Some of the bargaining committee members held up their signs proclaiming their support for authorizing a strike. |
 |
| Congressman Keith Ellison told the janitors he was inspired by their courage and willingness to take a stand. |
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Even before the vote, the janitors\’ stand had an effect. Javier Morillo-Alicea, president of Service Employees International Union Local 26, said a federal mediator called him Saturday morning to say the employers were interested in resuming bargaining. No date was set.
"That phone call this morning is progress," Morillo-Alicea told union members gathered at the Minneapolis Labor Center. "We have to keep the pressure up. As long as there is progress, there is no strike. But we can\’t back down."
buy inderal online inderal online generic
|
| Janitors voted overwhelmingly Saturday to authorize a strike. |
Local 26 represents 4,200 union janitors who clean office buildings throughout the Twin Cities. They work for cleaning contractors such as Marsden, ABM and MSI. Key issues in the talks are health care and full-time jobs.
Of the 2,200 members with families who are eligible for the employers\’ family coverage, only 14 can afford to have it, the union said.
"I work full-time, but my family is buried under medical bills," said Lucrecia Mares, a janitor in Minnetonka. "My daughter has to get a test for her stomach condition, but without affordable insurance, we haven\’t been able to take her to the doctor."
Employers are offering only a 20-cent wage increase — leaving Twin Cities janitors far below their counterparts in cities such as Chicago and Philadelphia, the union said. Contractors also have rejected the union\’s proposal to increase the number of full-time jobs.
"They have offered us only 20 cents and that\’s just a joke," said Cecelia Garcia, a member of the bargaining committee. "I am ready to fight against this lack of respect for us."
Two weeks ago, contractors left the bargaining table after giving the union what they said was their final offer. The contract between the union and cleaning companies expired Dec. 31.
Morillo-Alicea emphasized that Saturday\’s vote did not mean a strike was certain. The union\’s bargaining committee will decide if and when to call a walkout, he said.
Brendan Cummins, attorney for the union, said Local 26 has filed numerous unfair labor practices against the contractors for intimidating employees. He said that if a walkout occurs, the union will seek to have the National Labor Relations Board declare an unfair labor practice strike, meaning the strikers could not be permanently replaced.
Congressman Keith Ellison joined several legislators, Minneapolis City Council members, and community, labor and religious leaders at the meeting Saturday.
"This fight is about the future of the Twin Cities and the state of Minnesota," said Ellison. "We can choose to live in a community with part-time jobs and no benefits, or we can stand up for full-time jobs that support a family and affordable health care for everyone."
Support from elected officials is part of a community solidarity campaign building around the janitors. In addition, several union janitors will arrive in the Twin Cities starting Tuesday from Chicago, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Detroit, Houston and other cities to assist in the campaign, the union said.
|
| Javier Morillo-Alicea, flanked by members of the bargaining committee, addressed union members. |
|
| Some of the bargaining committee members held up their signs proclaiming their support for authorizing a strike. |
|
| Congressman Keith Ellison told the janitors he was inspired by their courage and willingness to take a stand. |