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Whereas, Members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), a member of the Allegheny County Labor Council, are working people and retirees united to improve their jobs and communities. They are winning better wages, health care, and safer and more secure jobs for working families. The SEIU consist of janitors, building service workers, nurses, doctors, health technicians, workers in local government, state employees, security officers; and
Whereas, Forty-three million Americans are uninsured, and millions more are worried about losing their health coverage. Janitors are among the most severely affected by this health care crisis. Janitors often work late into the night cleaning commercial office buildings, but most do not receive health insurance. However, janitors have begun fighting alongside community members and political and religious leaders to obtain affordable healthcare for themselves and their families; and
Whereas, Health care is such a critical issue for Pittsburgh's janitors because, as recently as last year, less than 10 percent were able to afford family coverage. Recent increases in co-pays and deductibles threatened to reduce that number even further; and
Whereas, However, through working with their Union, SEIU Local 3, and with the support of the whole Pittsburgh community, about 750 janitors in Pittsburgh recently secured affordable family health care coverage and wage increases under new three-year contracts they negotiated with Central Property Services, a large cleaning contractor, and the Managers Owners and Contractors Association, an organization that bargains on behalf of building owners; and
Whereas, SEIU Locals and the Labor Council have consistently rallied behind janitors anytime they have seen an injustice. Last summer, on June 13, Justice for Janitors Day, 500 of the janitors and University of Pittsburgh workers rallied at the State Office Building fighting for healthcare. Most recently, along side the President of the Allegheny County Labor Council and Pittsburgh's faith community, janitors protested the dismissal of nine janitors from their jobs at Centre City Tower and the loss of their health benefits; and
Whereas, Proclaiming that the actions of Centre City Tower are unjust and illegal the President of the Allegheny County Labor Council and four clergy members tried to meet with the management of the Centre City Tower to get the janitors' jobs back. Because management refused to meet with them, the protest led to the arrest of the president and the four clergy members; and
Whereas, Council recognizes the significance of their work and applauds the Labor Leader and four clergy who were arrested trying to find a way for the janitors to regain their jobs and their benefits;
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NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh joins the community in recognizing the Service Employees International Union, the Allegheny County Labor Council and their supporters for their adamant and consistent support of Pittsburgh's janitors.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT, the Council of the City of Pittsburgh calls on all the parties to find a way to get the janitors' jobs and healthcare back and settle this dispute