Laid-off SEIU Janitors Demand Their Jobs Back

Janitors in California’s SEIU Local 1877 are fighting tech giant Cisco Systems’ mass layoffs. Since February, the Cisco’s janitorial services contractor, American Building Management, has laid off 75 janitors, more than 40 percent of its workforce.

Most of the workers are low-income immigrants and mothers. Janitors still on the job are suffering as well, forced to assume higher workloads that threaten health and safety.

Cisco has largely dodged responsibility, and blames the recession for the layoffs. But financial hardship seems a difficult card to play for a company that was named the world’s fourth most profitable technology company by Fortune magazine in April.

Janitors have launched a series of escalating actions, including several mobilizations outside company headquarters and a seven-day fast that ended June 10.

They are demanding that Cisco order ABM to reinstate all 75 laid-off janitors, and are asking that a discussion begin about how to raise standards for other contracted service workers. The janitors also seek a commitment to use safe cleaning chemicals.

The janitors are targeting Cisco CEO John Chambers, who took home $11 million last year. They’re asking supporters to visit the sidebar at SEIU Local 1877, where you can tell Chambers what you think.

Compass Group Intimidating Catering Workers in Algeria

While employees at multinational oil producers in Algeria relax in air-conditioned shelters, workers at a catering contractor that serves them swelter in tents in the desert. The workers, employed by a subsidiary of the multinational Compass Group, have shifts that last six weeks without a day off.

They decided to create a union in 2006, but management disputed the union’s legitimacy despite initial support from 1,400 workers out of 1,800. They refused to permit meetings on company property, allowed by law.

The union collapsed. Worse yet, the company and its subcontractor have tried to make an example of the union’s elected general secretary, Yassin Zaid. His work contract was suspended, and he faces charges for “slander on the internet.” He lives in fear of further reprisals. The independent Algerian union SNAPAP is asking supporters to pressure the company to abandon legal proceedings against Zaid and to reinstate him—and to cease interfering with the union.

Please send letters to Compass at: and . At the contractor ESS, email: and .

Support Fired Auto Union Leader Who Backed Visteon Sit-Down

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Rob Williams, local convenor (chief steward) of the Unite union, was fired April 28 at the Linamar car parts factory in Swansea, Wales, for “irretrievable breakdown of trust”—that is, managers didn’t trust him to take their side. Williams had been active in supporting sit-downs at three Visteon plants in the U.K. (see page 16), and Linamar, which had bought the Swansea plant from Visteon, is now seeking pay cuts.

As managers called police to escort Williams from the factory, he ran through the plant to the union office, which was quickly surrounded by workers who left their jobs on the line. The police backed off and management backed down—but only temporarily. They fired Williams again May 6 and removed the door to the union office.

Unite is taking a strike vote. To support Williams, phone Group President Brian Wade at 011 44 1792 656339, or write to . Send support messages to .

Vietnam Targets Leaders of Independent Unions

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Human Rights Watch released a report May 4 calling on the Vietnamese government—and the Western multinationals that do business in Vietnam—to end suppression of the country’s independent unions.

At least five of the most prominent activists organizing independent unions in the country are currently imprisoned on what HRW calls “dubious national security charges.” Some are thought to have been kidnapped by the government’s security forces.

Between double-digit inflation and stresses caused by the global economic crisis, labor unrest in the country continues to escalate. Thousands of workers, most of them employed at foreign-owned factories, have joined wildcat strikes to demand raises and better working conditions. About 5,000 garment workers struck in January, saying they were docked a month’s pay for an absence.

HRW notes that “workers are prohibited from forming or joining unions—or conducting strikes—that are not authorized by an official labor confederation controlled by the Communist Party.”

Meanwhile, foreign investors are threatening to pull out of the country because of the “turmoil,” adding pressure on government officials to crack down.

Call on the government to release Le Tri Tue, a founder of the Independent Workers’ Union of Vietnam, and the other imprisoned independent union leaders. Write to head of the Vietnamese Embassy’s economic section. Tell Nike, whose contractors in the country have been repeatedly struck, to respect workers’ right to organize. Email , vice president of corporate responsibility.

Auto Workers Occupy Visteon Plants in UK

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Workers at a Visteon plant in Belfast, Northern Ireland, staged an occupation of their plant March 31 after management told them it would close in six minutes. Workers in two plants in England followed their lead, and soon 600 Visteon workers were occupying their factories.

The plants were part of Ford Motor Company until a restructuring plan nine years ago, when Ford promised that Visteon workers’ contracts would always “mirror” Ford’s. Ford had promised “redundancy contracts”—benefits and pay workers would get if the plant were to shut down. Now Visteon is offering nothing, and workers fear they will lose their pensions as well.

Management is in discussions with the union, Unite, while workers picket Ford dealerships. Call Visteon’s European Corporate Office, (44) 1268-700000. Send messages of support to .