Union marches

Lolita Harper

COSTA MESA -- A succession of purple shirts snaked its way through the

business centers on the city’s northern border Thursday afternoon,

halting traffic and earning curious stares from onlookers, as

demonstrators from a local union loudly demanded justice for Orange

County janitors.

Three busloads of members of Service Employees International Union

Local 1877 descended on the business district at the corner of Harbor

Boulevard and Sunflower Avenue during the lunch hour after marching from

Fairview Road and MacArthur Boulevard in Santa Ana.

The marchers, dressed in purple and gold union T-shirts, chanted and

carried picket signs, banners, noisemakers, drums and horns as they

loudly called attention to what they believe are injustices in the

janitorial industry.

The train of demonstrators made its way past a handful of buildings

that contract with Pacific Building Care, a nonunion janitorial company.

Costa Mesa resident Rosa Soto, who works as a union janitor, said she

was marching in support of other industry employees who work for Pacific

Building Care and do not receive fair wages or full benefits.

“We are giving support to our fellow janitors so that they can improve

their lives as well,” Soto said in Spanish.

Officials at Pacific Building Care vigorously denied the

demonstrators’ claims and called the march a political ploy. Chief

Executive Jennifer Schramo said her company pays wages and benefits to

all its employees at or above union rates.

“We are being singled out because we are a large janitorial contractor

with a large labor pool,” Schramo said. “We are a good financial target

and represent a lot of political dollars for [the union].”

Schramo declined further comment about the demonstration.

But the marchers had plenty to say.

The line of purple-clad demonstrators spanned about half a city block,

and a handful of people were equipped with bullhorns to lead chants in

Spanish.

“What do we want?” a leader would ask.

“Justice!” the crowd would answer.

“When do we want it?”

“Now!”

Other chants, which had catchy rhymes when said in Spanish, translated

into a basic declaration that the union was alive and making its presence

known in Orange County.

Union members even enlisted their children in “la lucha” (the fight)

to guarantee fair wages and health care. Some youngsters were dressed in

adult-sized T-shirts. Others held picket signs that were almost taller

than they were.

Jasmine Aguilar, 8, of Santa Ana rested under the shade of a tree and

played with her siblings while the adults gathered to listen to union

speakers. Her mom works as a janitor and brought Jasmine to the march.

“We’re out here because they don’t pay them enough,” Jasmine said. “I

think it is unfair.”

The march commemorated national Justice for Janitors Day, which was

established after janitors in Los Angeles were beaten by police during a

similar demonstration on June 15, 1990, union officials said.

Both Costa Mesa and Santa Ana police officers were at the scene to

monitor the rally. Their presence was noticed but not necessary, as

demonstrators behaved calmly.

Costa Mesa Police Lt. Karl Schuler was at the corner of Susan Street

and Sunflower Avenue halting traffic as the line of demonstrators made

its way through the intersection, crossing the Santa Ana and Costa Mesa

border. About 20 Costa Mesa police officers were stationed at the march,

he said.

“Obviously this is very peaceful,” Schuler said. “They have a lot of

children [in the front of the line] as a statement that they are marching

for their kids and their future.”

* Lolita Harper covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4275 or by e-mail at o7 lolita.harper@latimes.comf7 .