Since
the end of May, Houston janitors with the Service Employees
International United (SEIU) have been on strike. Each week, the strikes
get larger, louder, and more unified. The janitors have been striking
for the last two months in order to get a 10 dollar wage. They currently
make 8.35 dollars an hour and their employers have been unwilling to
fulfill their demands. Since the strike began, the union has sent
delegation after delegation to the employers to try to work out a deal,
and each time, they have been asked to leave. The employers have been
unwilling to cooperate and have refused to raise the janitors' wages.
The janitors strike entered a new phase last week Tuesday when thousands of people marched through downtown. People from different parts of the country and many different progressive organizations came in support of the janitors. Busloads of janitors kept arriving and the crowd kept getting larger and larger. On three separate streets, hundreds of janitors, along with other trade unionists and progressive activists, marched through downtown. The janitors made their way to Fannin street, one of the busiest streets in Houston during rush hour, and let their voices be heard. Everyone had a whistle and was cheered loudly for the janitors. Four of the trade unionists walked into Fannin street and sat down in an act of civil disobedience. Their fellow trade unionists cheered them on with the call of 'Si Se Puede!'. The civil disobedience act shut down Fannin street for over 30 minutes; all four trade unionists were arrested.
Since July 24th, there have been marches nearly everyday and the movement is still growing. The janitors had their largest demonstration to date on August 1st. Today, the union flew its banner over I-45 during morning rush hour and, in the Galleria area, over a 1000 janitors, trade unionists, and progressive activists marched. They marched on two different streets to the busiest intersection of Houston: Westheimer and Post-Oak Blvd. When they arrived at the intersection, approximately 30 trade unionists walked into the middle of the intersection and sat in civil disobedience. On all four sides of the intersection, their fellow trade unionists cheered them on. The feeling of unity was very strong and it was very exciting to be there. The 30 brave trade unionists occupied the middle of the intersection for over an hour. When the cops ordered them to get up, they refused and, heroically, remained seated.
The cops had their paddy-wagon ready but it was too small and they required a large bus to remove all of the trade unionists. These heroic trade unionists remained seated and were dragged out of the intersection by the cops, and then thrown into the police buses. All thirty were arrested. The civil disobedience was planned and the union has bail-bondsmen ready to get them out of jail quickly.
The march concluded with several captivating speeches given by the union leaders. Tomorrow, the union will initiate a new attempt at bargaining and meet with the janitors' employers. The union leaders stated that the union will stay on strike until their demands are met. If the employers do not raise the janitors' wage to 10 dollars an hour, the union will stay on strike and the marches will continue.
--Fabian Sneevliet
The janitors strike entered a new phase last week Tuesday when thousands of people marched through downtown. People from different parts of the country and many different progressive organizations came in support of the janitors. Busloads of janitors kept arriving and the crowd kept getting larger and larger. On three separate streets, hundreds of janitors, along with other trade unionists and progressive activists, marched through downtown. The janitors made their way to Fannin street, one of the busiest streets in Houston during rush hour, and let their voices be heard. Everyone had a whistle and was cheered loudly for the janitors. Four of the trade unionists walked into Fannin street and sat down in an act of civil disobedience. Their fellow trade unionists cheered them on with the call of 'Si Se Puede!'. The civil disobedience act shut down Fannin street for over 30 minutes; all four trade unionists were arrested.
Since July 24th, there have been marches nearly everyday and the movement is still growing. The janitors had their largest demonstration to date on August 1st. Today, the union flew its banner over I-45 during morning rush hour and, in the Galleria area, over a 1000 janitors, trade unionists, and progressive activists marched. They marched on two different streets to the busiest intersection of Houston: Westheimer and Post-Oak Blvd. When they arrived at the intersection, approximately 30 trade unionists walked into the middle of the intersection and sat in civil disobedience. On all four sides of the intersection, their fellow trade unionists cheered them on. The feeling of unity was very strong and it was very exciting to be there. The 30 brave trade unionists occupied the middle of the intersection for over an hour. When the cops ordered them to get up, they refused and, heroically, remained seated.
The cops had their paddy-wagon ready but it was too small and they required a large bus to remove all of the trade unionists. These heroic trade unionists remained seated and were dragged out of the intersection by the cops, and then thrown into the police buses. All thirty were arrested. The civil disobedience was planned and the union has bail-bondsmen ready to get them out of jail quickly.
The march concluded with several captivating speeches given by the union leaders. Tomorrow, the union will initiate a new attempt at bargaining and meet with the janitors' employers. The union leaders stated that the union will stay on strike until their demands are met. If the employers do not raise the janitors' wage to 10 dollars an hour, the union will stay on strike and the marches will continue.
--Fabian Sneevliet
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