Cleaner says she was illegally terminated at the University of Alberta, by
Employer Bee Clean, for standing up for rights with co-workers

Temporary foreign worker says he was threatened with being sent home for talking about forming a Union

Workers file suits for unpaid overtime wages totalling in excess of $42,000

EDMONTON, Oct 1 /CNW/ - A Bee Clean Building Maintenance employee working under the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program at the University of Alberta said at a press conference today, his employer threatened to send Filipino workers home if they attempted to form a union. The janitors have asked to meet with Dr. Indira Samarasekera, President of the University, to discuss their concerns.

How is it that when we stand up for what is owed to us we are threatened with being sent home?" asked Danilo de Leon, one of the TFWs from the Philippines. "We won't be intimidated we know there are laws that protect all workers in Canada."

Tarik Accord said she was illegally terminated last week by Bee Clean at the U of A. "I knew I was being fired for trying to make our jobs fairer and our lives better," Accord said. An unfair labour practice (ULP) has been filed with the Alberta Labour Relations Board. According the complaint, the worker was fired shortly after appearing on a Justice for Janitors leaflet. Accord is a Canadian citizen.

We want to meet with the President of the University," said Accord. "We want to be able to speak with her about our concerns and how we can reach a resolution."

A group of janitors were joined by supporters at the press conference held this morning at the Campus Tower Suite Hotel. Amongst the supporters were lawyer Yessy Byl, whom has represented more than 200 foreign workers in Edmonton; Rachel Notley, the MLA for Edmonton-Strathcona; and Amy Kaler, an associate professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Alberta.

As a University employee, I'm embarrassed that the person who cleans my office and empties my wastebasket has to put up with the type of degrading treatment that the people here have told us about," said Kaler. "As an Albertan, and a taxpayer, I'm disturbed that our flagship public institution in this province is being maintained through unjust and unethical working conditions."

Canadian and foreign workers cleaning at the University of Alberta say their employer Bee Clean has been threatening them ever since they decided to stand up for their rights. According to the ULP filed today, temporary foreign workers have been threatened with being sent home for talking about a union; at least one worker has been illegally terminated; widespread threats have been made; management has spied on workers during their meetings and have threatened to break union meetings up; groups of workers have been told they would be laid off if they appeared on Justice for Janitors leaflets; and they have distributed pamphlets suggesting Bee Clean would lose the cleaning contract at the University if a union was formed.

Earlier in the summer janitors approached Bee Clean when they realized they were short on pay. The company had neglected or refused to pay a number of employees' overtime as required by the Employment Standards Act. No resolution was reached after the employees reached out to management; in fact, that's when the reprisals began workers say. Now a group of employees have filed suits for unpaid overtime wages totalling $42,435.

Accord said that during her time as a lead-hand at many sites around the University, she was able to see many of the problems all workers Bee Clean face. "The janitors are disrespected, we are treated unfairly, and we are forced to work in a very hostile work environment," she said. "We come to Canada as because we need to support our families," said de Leon. "But we are workers, not slaves."

If we want to live up to the promise of 'uplifting the whole people,' our administration has to ensure that all members of the university community, including the cleaning staff, are treated with respect and fairness." said Kaler. "It's time for the university administration to sit down with the workers and make it right."

For more information visit www.J4JatUofA.org

Justice for Janitors

Justice for Janitors (J4J) is a workers' movement with broad-based support from the public as well as religious, community and elected leaders.

Together we work to provide better wages, benefits, and job security for janitors who clean universities and colleges, office towers and other luxurious buildings, yet make poverty wages. 

For over twenty years SEIU's J4J movement has helped low-wage workers achieve respect at work and build a better future for our families.

The Service Employees International Union  is the largest and fastest growing union in North America, with 100,000 workers in Canada and two million workers across Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico.

For further information:

Merryn Edwards
780-910-1951