As German and American elected Leaders and allies, speak out in support of Houston janitors; allies in Houston, San Francisco, Chicago, and Philadelphia, will hold actions at buildings where we believe the German-based Mann family has substantial control or ownership the week of October 25, 2021. In buildings in San Francisco, Chicago, and Philadelphia, where the Mann family has substantial ownership or control, janitors have a voice on the job and are guaranteed paid sick leave.
Here in San Francisco,
WHO: Union Janitors and Supporters
WHAT: Rally and Delegation
Janitors will hold a rally and delegation, including a costumed Grim Reaper, to illustrate what cleaners go through when they do not have guaranteed paid sick days, especially during a global pandemic.
WHEN: Wednesday, Oct 27th
At 2pm
WHERE: 345 California, San Francisco
Delegations will deliver a demand from dozens of German and American political, labor and community leaders to call on the Mann family to step in and make sure that their buildings in the United States are cleaned by cleaning contractors who provide important benefits like guaranteed paid sick days.
Delegations will deliver a demand from Representatives Shelia Jackson Lee (D-TX), Al Green (D-TX), and Sylvia Garcia, as well as by seven members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors – Connie Chan (D1), Catherine Stefani (D2), Aaron Peskin (D3), Matt Haney (D6), Myrna Melgar (D7), Shmann Walton (D10), and Ahsha Safai (D11), and California Legislature member David Chiu (D17) as well as a letter signed by German notable journalists, activists, and elected leaders.
The letter signed on by the U.S. elected officials states, “when janitors who don’t have paid sick leave become ill they must choose between going to work or missing a day’s pay. Unionized janitors in Houston have sick days, paid vacation, and a voice through their union.”
Background:
In 2020 many of the unionized workers who cleaned the iconic Pennzoil Place lost union jobs with benefits like guaranteed paid sick days and a voice on the job, after the company that manages the building, replaced a union contractor with a non-union contractor.
The majority of buildings in the central business district are cleaned by union contractors with the support of responsible real estate owners and developers. Janitors who work for some non-union contractors often pay a stiff price, in the terms of fewer benefits and the lack of a voice on the job.
We have reason to believe that the German-based Mann family has substantial control and/or ownership over the company that owns Pennzoil Place.
SEIU is the nation’s largest union of janitors, representing more than 135,000 cleaners.
Commercial office cleaners are among the essential workers who bravely continued to work throughout the pandemic.
