Published: March 17 2009

Optima janitors who are fighting to organize with SEIU Local 32BJ need your help exposing how their struggle exemplifies the need for the Employee Free Choice Act to be passed.

While these men and women are hired by Optima to clean some of the major bail out recipients like AIG and Wilmington Trust, they struggle to make ends meet earning wages as low as $7.25/hr without medical or other basic benefits.

Now that they are organizing to improve their work and living conditions, they are enduring managers and directors at Optima Cleaning Systems who have video taped organizers talking to workers, followed organizers to worker houses, and have attempted to attend and disrupt worker meetings. Obviously these tactics DO NOT promote a fair playing field for workers to organize.

Please join Sam Lathem, DE AFL-CIO President, Wayne MacMannan, SEIU Local 32BJ Area Chairman, Optima Clearners and Rev.Livingston as we expose Optima Cleaning as Wilmington's Enemy of Change for Delaware's Working Families.

Who: Optima Janitorial Workers, Sam Latham, DE AFL-CIO, and Wayne Hall, SEIU Local 32BJ, Rev. Livingston, elected leaders and labor and community supporters
What: Press Conference/Rally to announce charges filed against Optima for their intimidation tactics

When: Wednesday, March 18, 2009
10:00 gather
10:30 kick off
Where: Rodney Square on corner of Market and 11th Streets

If you need more information, please feel free to contact Jen Hill 293-8682.