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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday October 22, 2009

CLEANERS RALLY FOR HEALTHCARE AND FAMILY SUSTAINING WAGES

– Cleaners Working at Bank of America Earn as little as $8 an Hour –

Wilmington, DE – More than one hundred cleaners employed at buildings such as Bank of America, Chase Bank and Wilmington Trust Corp. marched today through downtown Wilmington demanding better pay and benefits and respect for workers’ rights.

“I have to work three jobs just to pay the bills,” said Jimmy Wing, a cleaner employed by ABM at a downtown building earning $8 an hour and supporting two daughters. “I wish I could quit at least one job and spend more time with my family, but on these wages that’s tough.”

In the past months, workers’ attempts to organize in Delaware have been met with stiff resistance. After workers began organizing at Optima Cleaning System, the cleaning contractor that provides services to financial corporations like Wilmington Trust and AIG, Optima Cleaning Systems fired several workers. But last August, the National Labor Relations Board issued a complaint against Optima Cleaning Systems for interfering, coercing and restraining workers from engaging in lawful union activities. The NLRB has scheduled the trial to begin on November 2nd.

“Cleaners in Delaware are fighting for healthcare for their kids and better pay to support their families,” said Mike Fishman, President of 32BJ SEIU. “Employers actions against hardworking people who are trying to organize are unacceptable.”

More than 60 million workers in America would like to join unions, but only 100,000 had the chance to vote for one last year. According to recent studies, every year more than 23,000 workers in the United States are fired or discriminated against for supporting a union at work, and 90 percent of employers force workers to attend intimidating one on one meetings with their supervisors.

According to the Economic Policy Institute, 54 percent of employers threaten workers in mandatory one-on-one meetings; and more than a third illegally fire union supporters. On average, union workers earn 30 percent more than non-union workers and are 60 percent more likely to have employer-paid health insurance.

With more than 110,000 members in eight states, including Delaware, 32BJ SEIU is the largest property service workers union in the country.

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