Protesting lost jobs

Stefanie Frith

NEWPORT BEACH -- Carrying signs that read “Protecting Their Job” and

“Justice for Janitors,” about 50 janitors and members of a local union

protested recent layoffs at about noon Thursday at Newport Center.

The protesters, many representing the Service Employees International

Union Local 1877, a nonprofit group for about 20,000 janitors and other

service workers in California, said the layoffs had been made after the

county’s first-ever union contract.

Thousands of janitors across the county had fought for a year to get

the contract, said Aida Cardenas, a senior organizer for the Los

Angeles-based union.

Then, last week, many at Newport Center were dropped from that

agreement, she said.

Building management in Newport Center dumped unionized cleaning

company Bradford as of Feb. 1, putting hundreds out of a job. A nonunion

company, A&D;, was hired instead.

“Now what do they do?” Cardenas asked. “There are some that have been

working in those buildings for years, one man for 10 years. We had to

send a message that it is not OK to contract with others and that they

[A&D;] are going to have a dispute with us.”

Last week, members of the union visited buildings at Newport Center to

let employees know of the coming protest, and Cardenas said many had no

idea the janitors they had come to know over the years would no longer be

working with them.

“Most hadn’t been informed,” she said. “And people need to know who is

going to be coming in, in late nights, and cleaning their desks and

floors.”

Officials with A&D; and at Newport Center could not be reached for

comment.

Although Cardenas said Thursday’s picketing went well, the union still

plans to hold more protests in Orange County until janitors gain back

their union contracts.

“Right now, these people are out of a job. So the ideal thing would be

to push out A&D; and put back the workers who are now not working,”

Cardenas said. “As long as they are working with a union, that’s what

matters.”