Fundraiser planned for 12 fired retail cleaning workers

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?news_6_4766

17 February 2011

EDINA - Supporters will conduct a fundraiser Tuesday for 12 fired retail cleaning workers and will call on their former employer, Lunds & Byerly’s stores, to meet with the workers.

The fundraiser will be Tuesday, Feb. 22, at 5:30 p.m. at Good Samaritan United Methodist Church, 5730 Grove St., Edina.

Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en la Lucha (CTUL) and allies “call on Lunds to live up to its self proclaimed reputation of ‘enriching neighborhoods through charitable giving,’ by compensating workers who were abruptly fired from cleaning their stores when Lunds changed cleaning contactors,” organizers said. Workers will also call for a meeting with the company to resolve a number of serious problems taking place in the cleaning of their stores.

The group of workers includes current and former employees of National Floor Maintenance that cleaned Lunds & Byerly’s stores. They unsuccessfully sought a meeting with Lunds’ management two weeks ago on issues including the firings and allegations of sexual harassment and other human rights violations.

The new cleaning company for four Lunds & Byerly’s stores is Carlson Building Maintenance. “This is a company at which workers have also reported human rights violations, including a drastic decrease in wages and increase in workload over the last ten years,” CTUL said. “Workers insist that as long as Lunds bases its cleaning contracting decisions solely on cost savings, this problem will exist regardless of the cleaning company contracted.”

On Tuesday, donations of non-perishable food items and financial contributions will be accepted to support the workers and their families who were fired.

For more information
Visit the CTUL website