Labor seeks unity through “Three Cities, One Future” campaign (janitors make as little as $26 a day)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/node/5454

Labor seeks unity through “Three Cities, One Future” campaign

Lede: Tens of thousands of workers in three cities are united in a “Three Cities, One Future” struggle. Doug Cunningham has the story.

By Doug Cunningham

A new campaign is underway in Cincinnati, Columbus and Indianapolis that aims to raise the living standards of 165,000 service workers. Organized by the SEIU, the UFCW and UNITE-HERE , the Justice for Janitors style campaign is called Three Cities, One Future. The janitors are negotiating contracts in all three cities with the goal of upgrading status to full-time jobs, getting better pay and affordable health care. It’s not just workers and their unions, but also clergy and community groups backing the effort. The unions say many of the janitors make as little as $26 a day and few earn more than $64 a day. This is an effort to win important improvements in jobs funded by some of the biggest corporations in the world through cleaning contractors. The unions say these employers have the resources and ability to transform these jobs from dead-end jobs to jobs that can help revitalize the economic base of our cities and allow workers to own homes, save for retirement and have quality health care for their families. The Three Cities, One Future campaign kicked off with a rally March 7 in Cincinnati.

AUDIO STORY HERE: http://www.laborradio.org/files/lo/winsheadlines.ram