WASHINGTON, D.C. — Eight janitors who clean Verizon’s Silver Spring, Maryland building were fired recently. Their offense — uniting coworkers to win better wages and benefits. Verizon should insist that Service Solutions treat janitors fairly and allow them to join a union in an environment free from intimidation and threats.
The janitors, who are employed by Knoxville-based Service Solutions, were told after their Monday, June 17 shift not to return to work Tuesday. Supervisors said they now need only 18 employees to clean the 750,000 square-foot building – a job that normally requires 26 janitors. Yet, two weeks ago Service Solutions hired two new employees to fill the spots left by the “lay offs.”
Service Solutions pays its workers around $6/hour with no health insurance or any other benefit. But according to the company’s Web site its employees come first. “We make it a point to recognize our employees’ personal achievements and to foster the full development of their potential. And, most importantly, we encourage a balance between work, life, and community involvement,” the Web site says.
More than 1,500 suburban D.C. janitors launched a campaign for better wages, health insurance and full-time work this spring.
“All we are trying to do is make a better life for our families,” said Maria Ramos, a fired janitor who has five children and whose husband is on disability. “For that we’ve been fired. It’s completely unfair.”
Please take one minute right now to click on the link below and tell Verizon to urge Service Solutions to reinstate the fired workers immediately.
http://www.unionvoice.org/ct/G7qJ1911z1af/