Eugenio H. Villasante: 212-539-2940
646-285-1087
Matt Nerzig: 212-539-2882
Wilmington, DE – Workers employed by Elite Building Services and Optima Cleaning Systems at buildings such as Chase Bank, Wilmington Trust Corp, were joined by more than a hundred 32BJ supporters to march through downtown Wilmington demanding better pay and benefits and respect for workers’ rights.
“Our economy and community cannot afford irresponsible contractors that shortchange the hard working men and women of Wilmington,” said Kurt Westby, 32BJ SEIU Area Director. “We call on these companies to do the right thing and pay their workers fairly and treat them with respect.”
In the past months, workers’ attempts to organize in Delaware have been met with stiff resistance. After workers began organizing at Optima Cleaning Systems, the cleaning contractor that provides services to financial corporations like Wilmington Trust and AIG, Optima Cleaning Systems fired several workers. 32BJ filed charges against the contractor, a case that the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) settled with agreement by Optima to pay more than $24,000 in back wages to seven cleaners, including six at the Wilmington Trust Building in Wilmington, DE.
“All workers deserve decent wages to support their families, and to be treated with dignity and respect,” said Kevin Kelley Councilman of the district 6 of Wilmington. “I support Local 32BJ’s campaign to raise the quality of life for working people because it will strengthen our communities and our city.”
The cleaners, including one who had worked for Optima for 9 years, were abruptly terminated after union organizing activity began last spring. One of the fired workers spoke at a union rally three weeks before he was fired. Optima admits no guilt to the charges in the complaint which includes photographing and videotaping lawful union activity on public sidewalks, and following union organizers as they visit employees at their homes.
Cleaners employed at the Wilmington Trust Corp. building, --a bank that has received $330 million from the Treasury Department’s bailout plan—were earning as little as $7.25 an hour, with no access to affordable and quality healthcare.
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.
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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posted 11/19/09
