On the Road Again: SEIU summons support to University of Miami
“>Organizer Dan Nicolai of S.E.I.U. Local 615 outside UNICCO headquarters in Boston.
TO: Allies & student leaders in Boston area
As you know, janitors are in the 7th week of a strike against UNICCO at the University of Miami. Also, a hunger strike by workers and students has now been going on for 18 days. At least three workers and one student have been hospitalized.
Last week, a group of students occupied the Admissions Office to demand union recognition for striking janitors. More information about student and community actions can be found at www.yeswecane.org
http://www.yeswecane.org/> .
University of Miami President Donna Shalala so far refuses to agree to janitors’ demands for card-check recognition of the union. Workers are demanding card-check instead of an election because UNICCO has already threatened and intimidated workers (this is under investigation by the National Labor Relations Board) and would continue to do so in an election campaign.
Beginning tomorrow (Saturday 4/22) leaders from community, student and religious organizations around the U.S. are going to Miami to meet with the hunger strikers, student leaders, and SEIU President Andy Stern. WE ARE PUTTING TOGETHER AN EMERGENCY DELEGATION TO MIAMI, LEAVING ON SATURDAY OR SUNDAY AND RETURNING MONDAY. THIS IS AN INVITATION FOR STUDENT LEADERS AT CAMPUSES CLEANED BY UNICCO.
I know it’s a busy time of year, but please consider taking a couple of days to participate in this. If you are interested and/or have questions, please email or contact me at 617-523-6150 ext. 425 or 617-416-8577(cell).
Dan Nicolai
Organizer, SEIU Local 615
——-
Of the two legal routes to Union recognition, card-check is preferred to NLRB [i.e. Bush Administration] supervised elections. UNICCO after weeks of striking and hunger striking has admitted that they have agreed to card check at other sites. The refusal is clearly coming from “liberal” president Donna Shalala. Rumor has it she is on the short list for president of Harvard. Is this any way to run a University?
the guy by the door … » Asleep on the job?
June 16, 2006 @ 11:20 am
[…] Unicco’s labor practices were the subject of the hunger strike at University of Miami this spring. Unfortunately, I can’t give you any of my own coverage of Wednesday’s rally and the Crimson didn’t cover it. However, the SLAM Website has gone to “community portal” software. Anyone who went to the rally can hop over to the site, create an account* and post an article. There is no substitute for a good rally, but why get as much mileage as you can out of it? […]