An active leader in the effort to organize workers at the Cintas Corp. was fired because he blew the whistle on health and safety problems at the company?s Eagan plant, a union charged Thursday.
Jacob Salinas, a two-year employee described as ?the union?s strongest supporter and the workers? most active leader,? was fired Wednesday, ostensibly for failing to check in properly with his supervisor, said Jeannine Otte, an organizer with UNITE-HERE Local 17.
UNITE-HERE and the Teamsters unions are involved in organizing at Cintas plants throughout the United States and Canada, she said.
?Our campaign started in May in Eagan,? Otte noted. ?Jacob has been active not only in union campaigns but in speaking out on health and safety issues in the plant.?
?He actively talks with OSHA inspectors to let them know about various problems,? she said. ?In fact, right now OSHA is doing an inspection.?
Cintas is an industrial laundry and uniform cleaner. UNITE-HERE has documented numerous examples of management retaliation and harassment at plants around the country as workers try to organize, Otte said.
The union is urging people to call Eric Schuck, general manager at the Eagan plant, to protest the firing. The number is 651-454-0560, ext. 207.
?Please call Mr. Schuck today and tomorrow to express your outrage and demand that Cintas returns Jacob to his job and that this multi-billion-dollar company stops all types of discrimination against those who try to demand that their rights be respected,? the union said in an e-mail to supporters.
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An active leader in the effort to organize workers at the Cintas Corp. was fired because he blew the whistle on health and safety problems at the company?s Eagan plant, a union charged Thursday.
Jacob Salinas, a two-year employee described as ?the union?s strongest supporter and the workers? most active leader,? was fired Wednesday, ostensibly for failing to check in properly with his supervisor, said Jeannine Otte, an organizer with UNITE-HERE Local 17.
UNITE-HERE and the Teamsters unions are involved in organizing at Cintas plants throughout the United States and Canada, she said.
?Our campaign started in May in Eagan,? Otte noted. ?Jacob has been active not only in union campaigns but in speaking out on health and safety issues in the plant.?
?He actively talks with OSHA inspectors to let them know about various problems,? she said. ?In fact, right now OSHA is doing an inspection.?
Cintas is an industrial laundry and uniform cleaner. UNITE-HERE has documented numerous examples of management retaliation and harassment at plants around the country as workers try to organize, Otte said.
The union is urging people to call Eric Schuck, general manager at the Eagan plant, to protest the firing. The number is 651-454-0560, ext. 207.
?Please call Mr. Schuck today and tomorrow to express your outrage and demand that Cintas returns Jacob to his job and that this multi-billion-dollar company stops all types of discrimination against those who try to demand that their rights be respected,? the union said in an e-mail to supporters.