[PAA-Discuss] Justice for Janitors need our help Sat.

[Bill Crosier]

Read on for another event worthy of our support, and a great networking opportunity, this Saturday.  At our last meeting, PAA decided (again) to endorse the Justice For Janitors campaign that SEIU is helping to coordinate here, including the event on Sep. 23.


Houston Janitors are continuing their Campaign  for Justice... AND THEY NEED OUR HELP

Last year, with the unwavering support of more than 100  community, elected, and faith leaders, Houston janitors won their struggle to unite with SEIU for a chance at the American Dream.

Now, with janitors and employers in intense talks to negotiate their first-ever city-wide union contract,  janitors are preparing to fight for access to affordable health care, increased pay, more work hours, better working conditions, and respect on the job.

The Houston area's five-largest cleaning companies and the Service Employees International Union are entering into the final stages of negotiations over a contract that will cover 5,300 commercial office janitors. Currently, janitors in Houston make $5.30 per hour, have no health insurance, and on average work four hour shifts, leaving them deep in poverty and forcing them to make nearly impossible choices between food, rent, medicine, and other basic necessities.
 
As many of you know, this weekend's Contract Convention for the American Dream is a critical event for the Justice for Janitors Campaign, and along with hundreds of community, elected and faith supporters we will be gathering to talk about what it will take to win for the janitors.

Please come out and join us this Saturday!

All Houstonians need access to quality health care and wages and benefits that support a family-that's why it's
critical that we take a stand with janitors in their historic campaign for justice.

On Saturday, September 23, as part of their Contract Convention for the American Dream, janitors will send a message to Houston's multimillion dollar real estate industry that hard-working families deserve a better  future.

What: Contract Convention for the American Dream

When: 2PM Saturday, September 23, 2006

Where: Hilton Hotel, 1600 Lamar

All Houstonians need access to quality health care and wages and benefits that support a family-that's why it's  critical that we take a stand with janitors in their historic campaign for justice.

A Better Future for Houston Families - For more information, call 713-514-0005 or visit http://www.houstonjanitors.org or see the note below from Amber Goodwin, one of the SEIU organizers.

This is also posted on the PAA web site at http://www.paa-tx.org/node/2380 and has attachments there for:

* A one page flyer "Why Not Houston?", detailing what the janitors are fighting for in their efforts to achieve the American Dream - This details the wages and benefits proposal that they shared with their employers in hopes that they can come to an agreement. Janitors believe that after so many years of going backwards, this is what it is will take to win a fair contract for the janitors

* A flyer on Saturday's event (1st page: English, 2nd page: Spanish)

* An endorsement letter for the Justice for Janitors campaign, which PAA approved at our meeting last week

Bill



>Delivered-To: paa at crosierbiomed.com
>Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2006 15:30:08 -0500
>From: "Amber Goodwin" <ambergoodwin at gmail.com>
>To: paa at crosierbiomed.com
>Subject: Justice for Janitors-Letter of Support and Convention!
>
>Bill,
> 
>Thank you so much for your continued support of the Justice for Janitors Campaign over the past year. We are going into a critical time with the janitors Contract Campaign and Convention(see attached) next weekend. Over the past year over 5,300 janitors have formed a union with SEIU and now are in the midst of their very first market-wide contract with their employers. Over the next couple of weeks, janitors will continue to bargain with their employers for better hours, higher wages and respect and dignity on the job.
> 
>On of the things that we are asking our supporters to do in support of the workers is sign onto the attached "Contract Letter of Support" for Houston Janitors. It is very similar to the letter for support that you signed onto last year.
> 
>Again, thank you so much for your support, and please feel free to contact me if you have any questions and we hope to see you next Saturday, September 23rd!!
> 
>Amber
>
>--
>Amber Goodwin
>Houston Justice for Janitors
>http://www.houstonjanitors.org
>Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
>4299 San Felipe Suite 200
>Houston, Texas 77027
>(713) 907-0008

-- 
Bill Crosier
paa at crosierbiomed.com     713-641-4941
Progressive Action Alliance         http://progressiveactionalliance.org/
Lying, Spying, Torture... IMPEACH!  http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/