Under a market system though labor is a commodotity and even unskilled labor has an interest in maximizing the return it gets for that commodity. Or are you saying we need the government to step and use its police powers to regulate?
That's a silly comment, you can't freely assemble anywhere you want. There has to be some sort of common sense involved and that didn't happen.
^ What's silly about it: US Constitution Ammendment I Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. Show me in the Constitution where it says "the right to free flow of traffic." That these people became violent is grounds for arrest but for posters to argue that they have no right to block traffic and you have a right to have free flowing traffic is groundless. You have a right to peaceably assemble. You don't have a right to drive down Westheimer not in stop and go traffic.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4349347.html Nov. 20, 2006, 4:43PM Houston janitors reach deal to end strike By MONICA RHOR Associated Press Houston janitors ended a month-long strike today against the city's five major cleaning companies after reaching a tentative agreement that will guarantee higher wages, more work hours and medical benefits. The settlement was hailed as a major victory for the 5,300 janitors who last year organized under the Service Employees International Union. It is the first citywide union contract since janitors formed a union last November. "We're very happy, and our members are ecstatic," SEIU spokeswoman Lynda Tran said. "It's an incredible, incredible day and this is a major victory." Under today's agreement, the SEIU janitors will get a 126 percent pay raise over the two-year contract. On January 1, pay will increase to $6.25 an hour, a 21 percent increase over current wage of $5.15 an hour. That will go up to $7.25 an hour on January 1, 2008, and $7.75 on January 1, 2009. The deal is expected to be ratified at a union meeting later today, Tran said. "I consider this a milestone in the city of Houston," Mayor Bill White told reporters. "And more importantly, something that will lift the lives of hard-working residents trying to get by each day." The new contract also guarantees more hours of work for janitors, many of whom are currently limited to 4 hours of work a night. The settlement calls for that to go up to six hours a night within the next two years. Janitors will also receive health insurance starting January 1, 2009. Individual health insurance will cost $20 a month, while family insurance will be available for a cost of $175 a month. The contract also includes vacation and six paid holidays a year. Workers will be able to accrue paid vacation beginning the first year of the contract. About 1,700 janitors walked off the job Oct. 23 after talks broke off with ABM Janitorial Services, GCA Services, OneSource, Sanitors Services of Texas and Pritchard Industries Southwest. The janitors, who made an average of $5.15 an hour, were seeking better pay and health insurance. The Houston strike was the latest in a series of strikes organized through SEIU's Justice for Janitors campaign. Many saw Houston as a pivotal battleground in the campaign, which had already garnered victories for janitors in Los Angeles, Boston and Miami. In Houston, where more than 58 buildings were affected by the walk-out, striking SEIU janitors and their supporters rallied and walked picket lines in the city's downtown and shopping districts. They also staged civil disobedience actions that blocked traffic in Houston's busiest intersections. The Houston strikers also received support from politicians and union members around the country. Sympathy strikes and rallies were held in other cities, including Los Angeles, Sacramento and Chicago. "We got people to stand up and pay attention," Tran said. Officials with ABM Janitorial Services, Pritchard Industries and Sanitors Services did not immediately return telephone calls seeking comment on Monday. "Houston won big," said janitor Mercedes Herrera, a member of the bargaining committee. "We have a better future for working families in Houston."
Well, I'll just have to leave bigger messes so that they will earn their increased pay. Forget about me aggregating my trash in a trash can, now it's just getting thrown on the floor. No more flushing the toilet as a courtesy, either.
I can understand the frustration.. life really sucks when janitors starts making more money than you..
