The \Justice for Janitors"" union in Madison is calling on CleanPower, a commercial cleaning business servicing approximately 44 percent of Madison buildings, to support hundreds of their employees in need of a living wage.
Currently, janitors at CleanPower are paid $7.50 an hour and said they have no access to affordable health care, no paid vacations and little chance for full-time employment. CleanPower services businesses such as American Family Insurance, State of Wisconsin buildings and UW Credit Union.
""Its ironic because these janitors work cleaning a health clinic, but they can't afford to go to the doctor's office. So we want to make a little noise and mobilize,"" said Patrick Hickey, director of the Interfaith Coalition for Worker Justice. The ICWJ educates and informs religious and labor communities in Madison to support the rights of workers to organize and negotiate with the employer.
Leone Bicchieri is the lead organizer for Service Employees International Union, Local 1, Justice for Janitors in Madison.
""We believe that all work should be done with decency. Being afraid of being fired if you complain about working conditions shouldn't have to be the case,"" Bicchieri said. Bicchieri described the janitors as the invisible workforce sustaining Madison.
Yeshi Jinpa, a refugee from Tibet, has worked at CleanPower four years without a raise, and said some employees are nervous about job security if they join a union.
""People are afraid. Some people haven't documented that they were told not to join a union,"" Jinpa said.
Jinpa works part-time with CleanPower and a full-time night shift cleaning University of Wisconsin buildings. Before coming to the United States in 2001, Jinpa studied Buddhism in a monastery. He now saves money to send to family in Tibet and three children he sponsors in India.
According to Hickey, charges filed last year against CleanPower involved cases of employee surveillance by supervisors and threats against employees interested in unionizing.
Russell McDaniel balances working at CleanPower part-time for two years while supporting his one year-old grandchild. McDaniel says that he joined the union for the benefit of future employees because his days are numbered.
""I'm playing the waiting game. I'm behind on rent, and everyone wants your money because there are bills to pay,"" McDaniel said, ""Who wants to see a person starve when they are willing to work?""
According to Hickey, janitors receive much better treatment in Milwaukee and Chicago because the community supports the union. Hickey said that private employers, such as CleanPower, push employee costs onto the public through health insurance costs and food stamps. Hickey said he believes if workers are treated better, employees will become more experienced, motivated and committed to their company.
Currently, Justice for Janitors has gained strong support from Ald. Austin King, District 8, but has not received feedback at the state level.
For its part, CleanPower's website deems the company as ""part-time supplemental employment, please seek our part-time jobs by choice."" Further, the company states that ""employee feedback is continually solicited ... and with more money saved on premiums, we have been able to invest in increased wages and employee incentives.""
CleanPower did not return phone calls when contacted for comment.
