New England JLC joins demo for a good contract for MA & RI janitors
Spencer Beswick, Hannah Nahar, Lior Appel-Kraut, Joanna Dimas and others at Boston Common
September 10, 2016: Boston, MA - The New England JLC stood with 3,000 janitors, faith leaders, students, and community members to call for a good contract for 13,000 janitors in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren spoke out about the need for fair wages, health insurance, and respect on the job for 32BJ SEIU janitors and all workers. She told demonstrators that their plight was personal to her "because her father was a janitor.
" `I saw firsthand how hard he worked," she said. "I saw how backbreaking it was and I saw how underappreciated his work was. I also saw how important a paycheck is to keep a family together.' "
"Unfortunately workers in this industry still struggle to make ends meet they are among the lowest paid workers in Massachusetts," noted Roxana Rivera, Vice President, SEIU.
"The industry in Massachusetts is still heavily part-time," Rivera added, "so workers have to pile up other jobs in order to make ends meet."
Thanks to Tufts Labor Coalition students for coming out in the rain and marching with us!