2011: A Year of Hope in Retail Cleaning

“I’ve worked at many cleaning companies over the years and I’ve always found miserable wages and working conditions. I’m tired of changing companies; I have decided to change the company where I work,” Lucila Dominguez, member of CTUL.

Last year we posted a reflection on 2010 as a year of struggle – 2010 marked both the beginning of a worker-led movement for justice in retail cleaning, and another year of exploitation in in the industry.

Members of CTUL are calling 2011 a “Year of Hope” – a year in which workers recovered tens of thousands of dollars unpaid wages, laid out a path for fair wages and working conditions in retail cleaning, and won the 2011 Progressive Leadership Award from Take Action.  Click here for our reflection on 2011.  And click here to make a donation to CTUL so that together we can make 2012 a “Year of Change”

Members of CTUL with Governor Mark Dayton and State Representative Patricia Torres-Ray at the 2011 Take Action Progressive Leadership Awards Dinner

CTUL CELEBRA EL DIA  DE  LOS  REYES

CTUL CELEBRATES 3  KINGS  DAY

CHANGE IN LOCATION / CAMBIO DE LUGAR

Sabado, 7 de enero, 12:00-5:00pm, Faith Mennonite Church (corner of 22nd St. and 28th Ave. S., Minneapolis)

Saturday, January  7th, 12:00-­5:00pm, Faith Mennonite Church (corner of 22nd St. and 28th Ave. S., Minneapolis)

El Centro Trabajadores Unidos en la Lucha (CTUL) les invita  a divertirse celebrando el Dia de Reyes con su familia y otros trabajadores.  El evento incluye comida ($5 por plato con rosca), juegos y piñata para niños, una rifa, musica en vivo, e informacion acerca de los derechos en el trabajo.

The Center of Workers United in Struggle (CTUL) invites you celebrate 3 Kings Day with your family and other workers.  The event includes food ($5 per plate, with traditional Mexican dessert, games and piñata for kids, raffle, live music, and information about workplace rights.

Para mas informacion sobre la fiesta llame al (612) 332-­0663.

For more information about the party, call 612-332-0663.

TAKE ACTION RECOGNIZES CTUL WITH THE 2011 PROGRESSIVE LEADERSHIP AWARD

CTUL members with Governor Mark Dayton and State Senator Patricia Torres Ray

Last Friday, November 18, CTUL received the Progressive Leadership Award at Take Action‘s 2011 Annual Leadership Awards Celebration.  We are grateful to Take Action for the recognition of the risks that hundreds of retail cleaning workers have taken over the past two years organizing for workplace justice.

Click here for photos and a report on the event, and click here for even more photos on Take Action’s website.

Also, support CTUL through three fundraisers being organizing by students at the UofM over the next couple of weeks…see you there!

1.  Saturday, November 26, 9pm-2am, “Music for Solidarity“, Acadia Cafe

2. Monday, November 28, 5-10pm, Buffalo Wild Wings will donate part of your bill to CTUL.  Make sure to print out this flyer and present it when you go

3. Sunday, December 4, 4-7pm, Spaghetti dinner, 1023 14th Ave. SE, Minneapolis, $5 (Please RSVP by sending an email to Hanna Mihalko: miha0042@umn.edu)

Join us this Friday, November 18, for two fun ally events moving for the Campaign for Justice in Retail Cleaning:

• 5-10pm: CTUL will be awarded the Progressive Leadership Award by Take Action Minnesota at their annual dinner!
• 9pm-1:30am: MARS Attacks the 1% – A Dance Party benefit for CTUL and MFS

For the past few months we’ve been going through an overhaul on the CTUL website to update information on the Campaign for Justice in Retail Cleaning.  Within the next few weeks the updates should be up and ready for the website…in the meantime, make sure to check out the following two updates:

• Campaign for Justice in Retail Cleaning (background information)
• Wall of Shame (including a list of workers’ rights violations that have taken place in retail cleaning around the country over the past decade)

CTUL Festival for Justice

Community celebrates a year of victories with retail cleaning workers in the Twin Cities

Last Sunday, on October 16th, over 400 people came out for the Festival for Justice to enjoy an afternoon of Zumba, salsa, and lots of live music from B.U.G.S., Guante, Mayda, Brass Kings, and Grant Hart of Husker Du.  Click here to see photos and a report of the day.

CTUL FESTIVAL FOR JUSTICE

Free Block Party with Mayda, Guante, Brass Kings, and Grant Hart of Husker Du

NEW: Click here for a reflection from CTUL about the Campaign for Justice in Retail Cleaning and the #Occupy Wall Street movement

Sunday, October 16, 2011, 1-7pm

27th Ave. and Lake Street South, Minneapolis

Join us for Music Food and Solidarity! Beer garden at Glaciers Cafe giving 10% of proceeds to CTUL.

Help promote the event:

CTUL Solidarity Meeting, Wednesday, October 12, 6:30-8:00pm, inside Bethany Lutheran Church (2511 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis).  RSVP for the meeting through Facebook.

• Poster in English
• Poster en Espanol
• Half-sheet flyer in Spanish and English
• Post the event through Facebook

As a result of workers’ organizing efforts with CTUL over the past year and a half, we have seen positive change in the retail cleaning industry.  Workers in the industry have reported that they have gotten a pay increase after years of decreasing wages. The retail cleaning industry has also become more consolidated, providing a unique opportunity to seek positive change elsewhere.

As many of you know, CTUL has been engaged in a lawsuit with SUPERVALU INC., Jerry’s Enterprises, Inc., and Diamond Lake LLC 1994 (“Plaintiffs” in the lawsuit), which own or operate Cub Foods stores.  In the process, we have come to recognize that we are unaware of any instances in which Plaintiffs have actually violated any law, and we regret any statements or suggestions to the contrary.  We also now understand that Cub Foods is committed to using contractors that abide by federal and state law, including the National Labor Relations Act and the Minnesota Labor Relations Act.  In addition, we know that Cub Foods stores draw a large percentage of its workers from local communities, including communities of color and immigrant communities, most of whom are themselves union members.

In light of the above, CTUL and Plaintiffs have come to an agreement to move forward in a mutually beneficial way.  CTUL has agreed permanently to end the campaign against Plaintiffs, and CTUL urges all of its members and allies to do the same. CTUL has also agreed to a permanent injunction prohibiting certain activities, including in-store demonstrations, on terms based on the Court’s July 18 Temporary Injunction Order posted on our website.  At the same time, Plaintiffs have agreed to end the lawsuit against CTUL and its organizers.  As we put the campaign against Plaintiffs completely behind us, we open the door to a new phase of the Campaign for Justice in Retail Cleaning elsewhere.

Click here for a copy of the Order for a Permanent Injunction

CTUL FESTIVAL FOR JUSTICE

Sunday, October 16, 2011, 1-7pm

Lake Street and 27th Ave. S

Join CTUL and allies for a street concert with GUANTE, BRASS KINGS, and GRANT HART OF HUSKER DU. Festivities include music, food, and a beer garden hosted by Glaciers Cafe.

Click here to RSVP on Facebook.

 CTUL Celebrates 4th Year Anniversary

FIESTA DEL TRABAJADOR

Over 350 workers and their families came out last Saturday, September 17th, to celebrate CTUL’s 4th year anniversary. Click here for a report and pictures of the day.