The following article appeared Nov. 28 on pslweb.org.
On Nov. 20, 5,300 Houston janitors won a contract battle against five large cleaning companies. Janitors waged a month-long, militant struggle against the owners and corporate tenants of high-rise buildings in the city. The victory comes a year after the janitors joined the Service Employees union, SEIU.
The janitors who clean these downtown buildings in Houston—the fourth largest city in the country—work for starvation wages. The average monthly salary of a Houston janitor is $424. Most janitors are limited to four hours of work each day.
The new contract will double the janitors’ income over two years, increase work hours, and provide them with affordable health care and paid holidays and vacation time for the first time.
The campaign against the cleaning companies and billion-dollar corporations who have their headquarters in Houston skyscrapers included shutting down streets, shopping areas and corporate offices. Multiple marches of thousands of people were held to demand better wages for the janitors. Solidarity protests were held all over the country and around the world. Supporters came from across the United States to Houston to support the fight.
The city of Houston, surprised to see workers taking over city streets, responded to the janitors with violence and intimidation. Demonstrators were attacked by mounted police and arrested. Many protesters were injured and hospitalized over the course of the struggle, including Hazel Ingram, an 83-year-old New York City janitor.
The city set bond for arrested protestors at an incredible $888,000.
Houston janitors are predominantly immigrants. Their struggle is part of a growing workers’ movement in the South. Workers in the South still face greater poverty and institutionalized racism than workers in other parts of the country.
The growing number of immigrants in the South, mostly from Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, make the region a very important battleground for all workers. The janitors’ victory shows that workers can win important gains when they take to the streets together in militant struggle.
13 1 minute read
