First Annual CTUL Gala Dinner Fundraiser and Silent Auction

Join us in celebrating the achievements of CTUL including updates from workers and keynote speaker Keith Ellison.

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Click here to buy your ticket now

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WHEN: Friday, June 15th, 2012. Doors open at 5:00pm
WHERE: Waite House, 2323 11th Ave., Minneapolis, 55404
HOW MUCH: $25.00 per seat including a full course dinner

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Click here for more information

Sponsoring Organizations: SEIU Minnesota State Council, ISAIAH, De Leon & Nestor LLC, MAPE, Minnesota AFL-CIO, St. Paul’s Monastery, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Dakota County United Educators, SEIU Local 284, UNITE-HERE Local 17, National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 9

Brian Payne at brian@ctul.net or 612-859-5750

Over the past few days, we have found several more articles that came out after the recent press conference with workers from Diversified Maintenance, which cleans Sears, Kmart, Lord & Taylor, Target, Best Buy and other stores. Check them out below:

• “Janitors at Target, Best Buy claim they were forced to work 7 days a week with no overtime“, City Pages, Aaron Rupar, April 27, 2012
• “Study, lawsuit expose exploitation faced by retail cleaning workers“, International Janitorial Cleaning Services Association, April 27, 2012
• “Minnesota janitors protest over unpaid overtime, wages“, Twin Cities Daily Planet, Christopher Tigue, May 2, 2012

Click here for a more complete list of coverage of the press conference.

Campaign for Justice in Retail Cleaning

The campaign is heating up, with workers more energized than ever to organize for change…check out these two new videos in the campaign

Video of the CTUL Press Conference April 25, launching the next phase of the Campaign for Justice in Retail Cleaning

General video about the Campaign for Justice in Retail Cleaning, focusing attention on one retail cleaning company, Diversified Maintenance, which cleans Kmart, Sears, Lord & Taylor, Target, Best Buy and other stores.

INTERNATIONAL WORKERS’ DAY 

CTUL LAUNCHES NEXT PHASE OF THE CAMPAIGN FOR JUSTICE IN RETAIL CLEANING

(Check out the new video about the Campaign for Justice in Retail Cleaning! If the video does not work, click here to watch it on YouTube)

On Wednesday April 25^th, over 50 workers and allies came out for a press conference on the public sidewalk at the corner of Lake and Nicollet, launching the next phase of the Campaign for Justice in Retail Cleaning.  The press conference focused the spotlight on Diversified Maintenance (a cleaning contractor for Kmart, Sears, Lord & Taylor, Target, Best Buy and others) as an example of the need for change in the retail cleaning industry.  Workers called on representatives of Diversified Maintenance to meet with CTUL and workers

After multiple attempts to engage the company in dialogue with workers and CTUL, Diversified continues to refuse to meet. Therefore, we will keep calling on Diversified to meet, and calling  on our allies for support.  Join Diversified workers with CTUL as we rally and march together with other immigrants and workers rights organizations on May 1^st,International Workers Day

INTERNATIONAL WORKERS’ DAY RALLY & MARCH

Tuesday, May 1^st 3:30pm

Corner of Lake St. & Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis

Meet on the South side of Lake Street, across the street from Kmart 

If you are coming to join the march, please do not park in the Kmart parking lot

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The day after the march, join us for the next

CTUL Solidarity Meeting

Wednesday, May 2nd, 6pm

2511 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis (inside of Bethany Lutheran Church)

Click here to RSVP

APRIL 25, 2012

CTUL Press Conference

Over 50 workers and allies came out today for a press conference on the public sidewalk at the corner of Lake and Nicollet in front of Kmart, launching the next phase of the Campaign for Justice in Retail Cleaning.  The press conference focused the spotlight on Diversified Maintenance (a cleaning contractor for Kmart, Sears, Lord & Taylor, Target, Best Buy and others) as an example of the need for change in the retail cleaning industry.  Workers called on representatives of Diversified Maintenance to meet with CTUL and workers.

PRESS COVERAGE:

• “Janitors: Contractor didn’t play by rules“, Dee DePass, Star Tribune, April 25, 2012
• “Trabajadores de Limpieza Dicen que Trabajaron Siete Dias por Semana sin Pago de Overtime“, La Conexion Latina, 25 de abril.
• “Study, lawsuit expose exploitation faced by retail cleaning workers“, Workday Minnesota, April 26
• “Minn. Custodians Sue Diversified Maintenance Systems“, KSTP, ABC News, April 25

Click here for a copy of the White Paper: “A Dirty Business: Worker Exploitation in Minnesota’s Retail Janitorial Industry“

Click here for a copy of the lawsuit against Diversified

Janitors File Lawsuit Saying They Worked Seven Days a Week with No Overtime Pay

CTUL Releases White Paper Documenting Problems in Janitorial Industry 

Join us today, Wednesday, April 25 at 12:30 at Lake and Nicollet as Diversified Maintenance workers lead a press conference about a recently filed lawsuit, and the release of a White Paper about the retail cleaning industry:  ”A Dirty Business: Worker Exploitation in Minnesota’s Retail Janitorial Industry“.

Click here for a copy of the lawsuit

Click here for a copy of the White Paper

Click here for the press release (and stay tuned for photos and a report on the press conference!)

CTUL PRESS CONFERENCE

Diversified Maintenance Systems workers to release white paper exposing the reality faced by retail cleaning workers in the Twin Cities metro area and around the country.

NEW: CLICK HERE FOR A COPY OF THE MEDIA ADVISORY

Click here for more information

Click here to RSVP

Join CTUL at two upcoming presentations, where organizers will talk about the Campaign for Justice in Retail Cleaning:

• “Immigrant Retail Workers and the Quest for Livable Wages“, part of the Global Goes Local Conference on the Social Conditions of Immigrant Workers and Families in Minnesota at St Cloud State University, April 9-11, 2012.  Click here for a copy of the brochure for the event.
• “The Political Economy of Criminalizing Immigrants” with David Bacon.  CTUL will be one of the guest speakers at the event, Wednesday, April 11, 2012 at 6:00pm at SEIU Local 26 office (701 North 1st Street, Minneapolis).  Click here for a flyer on the event.

GRAN BAILAZO

Sabado, 24 de marzo, 9pm – 2am

Incluyendo: El Sueño de Mexico, Misterio de Mexico, y El Maestro Mingo

Mirage Bar, 400 Old Hwy NW, New Brighton, MN

$15 Entrada (9-10pm gratis para mujeres)

Llamen al 612-332-0663 para comprar tu ticket

Call 612-332-0663 to buy tickets

CTUL SOLIDARITY MEETING

Wednesday, March 7, 6:00-7:30pm

2511 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis, MN

(inside of Bethany Lutheran Church)
Click here to RSVP

Join us on Wednesday, March 7 for the monthly CTUL Solidarity meeting.  This week we’ll be taking about:

1. Update on the Campaign for Justice in Retail Cleaning

2. Planning for the 1st Annual CTUL Gala

3. Brainstorming other possible activities.