Socialist Alternative

Urgent Solidarity Meeting
for U of M students, workers, and faculty

When: THURSDAY, February 1, 5:00 P.M.
Where: COFFMAN UNION ROOM 323

As some of you may already know, the 4,200 Twin Cities janitors of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 26 are currently engaged in a struggle for a better future for their families. Come Thursday to hear directly from a union activist and participate in a civil disobedience/ peace keeper training. The union is aiming to train dozens of community supporters this week to prepare for non-violent civil disobedience actions if such an escalation is needed.

The janitors have been working without a contract since the beginning of the year and employers have so far refused to budge regarding the workers’ primary demand– affordable health insurance for their families. Only 14 of these 4,200 workers currently have family health insurance and more than three quarters of the janitors have no health coverage at all.

Because of this, and because of numerous unfair labor practices, the janitors voted to authorize their bargaining committee to call a strike if necessary.

Justice for Janitors campaigns have yielded amazing victories in other parts of the country, most recently in Houston. Community support has been an essential role in these victories. Now is the time for the University of Minnesota community to our part. We would like to invite all university allies of the janitors to join us at the time and place listed below. We will discuss the history of and latest news on this struggle as well as ways we can show our solidarity. There will also be a brief civil disobedience training. Those who might be willing to take part in future civil disobedience actions in support of the janitors are especially encouraged to come.

For more information on the Justice for Janitors movement in the Twin Cities, see www.seiu26.org and www.workdayminnesota.org