From: AriehNYC@Prodigy.net
Date: Tue Oct 15 2002 - 18:13:11 EDT
FYI. Just learned of this article from
Micha Josephy, N.E. Area Director of the
Jewish Labor Committee. [See below.]
Thought you might find this of interest
Please note details at bottom on source.
You can distribute this, but only if you use
EVERYTHING below the line of periods.
>> Arieh Lebowitz
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Jewish Community Backing
Striking Janitors in Boston
By David E. Nathan
The Jewish Advocate Staff
http://www.thejewishadvocate.com
"Just as we were immigrants in this country once,
these people are immigrants now and are facing the
same issues we faced. The skin tone is different, but
it's the same issues." -- ; Micha Josephy
In an effort to help settle the local janitors'
strike, Combined Jewish Philanthropies has pledged to
pay more for cleaning services at its Boston offices
if the money is used to provide competitive wages
and health benefits for custodians.
CJP joined the Jewish Community Relations Council,
Jewish Labor Committee and several area temples and
rabbis in publicly supporting the strikers.
Some members of Local 254 of the Service Employees
International Union, which represents 10,700 janitors,
walked off the job Sept. 30 after failing to reach an
agreement with Unicco Service Co. and other
smaller contractors to improve pay and benefits. An
interim agreement was reached with six contractors on
Oct. 4 that offers health insurance and more full-time
work opportunities. About 2,000 janitors are still on
strike at some 75 buildings in Boston and Cambridge.
Carol Lobron, CJP's chief operating officer, sent a
letter to Unicco CEO Steve Kletjian urging him to
settle the strike by acceding to the union demands.
CJP has contracted with Unicco for janitorial services
at its 126 High St. offices for seven years.
"As an organization grounded in the Jewish values of
caring, learning and social justice," Lobron
wrote, "it is CJP's philosophy and practice to provide
its employees with competitive wages and a
comprehensive benefits package, including family
health benefits.
"Based on this philosophy and practice, we are in
complete support of employees being paid fair wages
and receiving benefits to the extent appropriate,"
Lobron wrote. "Furthermore, should the negotiated
settlement result in increased costs, we are prepared
to pay our share."
The executive board of the Jewish Community Relations
Council voted in September to support the janitors.
JCRC has been working behind the scenes for months.
"We think it's a basic justice issue," said Nancy
Kaufman, executive director of JCRC. "We think this is
the kind of thing we as Jews should stand for because
it's an issue about having a decent quality of life.
The current-day janitors are the garment workers of
days gone by."
The Jewish Labor Committee began doing outreach in
early summer to muster public support for the plight
of the janitors, according to regional coordinator
Micha Josephy. As part of the efforts, the labor
council arranged for custodians to speak at synagogues
and rabbis were provided resource material to
distribute to congregants.
Josephy said the janitors, most of whom are immigrants
and women, are working poverty-level jobs with no
health benefits. There [sic] pay is significantly less
than janitors in other large U.S. cities receive,
according to Josephy, and only a quarter of them get
the opportunity to work full time, making most
ineligible for health benefits.
"Just as we were immigrants in this country once,"
Josephy said, "these people are immigrants now and are
facing the same issues we faced. The skin tone is
different, but it's the same issues."
A dozen area rabbis have come out in support of the
strikers: Rabbi Thomas Alpert, Temple Tifereth Israel,
Malden; Rabbi Sharon Cohen-Ainsfeld, Harvard Hillel,
Cambridge; Rabbi Ronne Friedman, Temple Israel,
Boston; Rabbi Gershon Gerwitz, Congregation Young
Israel, Brookline; Rabbi William Hamilton,
Congregation Kehillath Israel, Brookline; Rabbi
Barbara Penzner, Temple Hillel B'nai Torah,
West Roxbury; Rabbi Carl Perkins, Temple Aliyah,
Needham; Rabbi Jonah Pesner, Temple Israel, Boston;
Rabbi Susan Silverman, Temple Israel, Boston; Rabbi
Toba Spitzer, Congregation Dorshei Tzedek, Newton;
Rabbi Jeffrey Summit, Tufts Hillel, Medford; and Reb
Moshe Waldoks, Temple Beth Zion, Brookline.
- - - -
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