San Francisco Janitors on Strike

Richard Mellor

Afscme Local 444, retired

Janitors, members of SEIU Local 87 in San Francisco struck yesterday March 24^th. The workers want increased pay, more safety equipment, improvements in workplace safety and the rehiring of 3000 janitors who have been fired since the onset of pandemic.

 

As the worker explains in the video, some janitors have died from Covid-19, 26 according to the union. “We’re still picking up trash without masks or hand sanitizer. The companies give us 1-2 masks every 2-3 months and expect us to ration it out……” janitor Ramiro Rodriguez told the San Francisco Chronicle. “…..And while I’m struggling to cover my expenses because my hours have been cut, employers don’t want to cover increased costs to our health insurance! It’s unacceptable, especially in the middle of a pandemic.”

 

Some local officials have turned up to the picket lines as an indication of their support for the strike but it will need more than that. It is common for labor friendly Democratic Party politicians to turn up on picket lines during disputes especially strikes. Even California Governor Gavin Newsom did that. Such passive shows of solidarity, even assuming they are genuine, unfortunately have not and will not win improved conditions for workers on strike.

 

At Labor Council meetings and rallies when I was active, it was often boasted that San Francisco is a union town. But all this means little if the real power of organized labor in even the smallest dispute, is not felt on the ground. The San Francisco Labor Council AFL-CIO has over 150 unions with 100,000 members affiliated to it. It states on its website that “The SFLC believes there is strength in unity” which is a pretty basic statement for a trade union. But how we build that unity and what we do with the strength that comes from it is the key.

 

George Schultz, the former US Secretary of State made it very clear how anyone or group can come out on top in disputes when he stressed that, “Negotiations are a euphemism for capitulation if the shadow of power is not cast across the bargaining table.”

 

The immediate “power” in this instance is the 100,000 organized workers in the city. More important than a few friendly politicians at a rally is what the trade union officials at the highest levels will or will not do. One would have to have been asleep for 50 years not to clearly understand that we cannot win in this period without returning to the methods and tactics that built the unions in the first place.This has been the case now at least since Patco.

 

Unions weren’t built by meekly obeying laws designed to render strikes useless. Mass picketing, occupations, relying on our own strength and the strength of our communities is what will halt this offensive and will, if organized correctly, make gains. The Black Lives Matter movement has brought results. With practically no centralized leadership, or a mixture of competing factions, including opportunists, and of course agent provocateurs, such a movement will be confused, at times violent and contain elements of rioting and other unhelpful acts.

 

Naturally, such an offensive from our side would have to be organized, planned and carefully thought out. But a first step is for the leaders of the organized workers in San Francisco, those in the district councils, the Central Labor Councils and indeed the State Federation of Labor representing not individual workplaces, individual local unions, but all organized labor and by that account, all unorganized workers, to speak out.  Press conferences should be called to make it clear to the bosses and in this instance their organization, The San Francisco Maintenance Contractors Association that represents janitorial companies, that they are working to build the momentum, solidarity and city wide organization necessary to win; they have to agitate. They should make it clear to the bosses that if breaking anti-worker laws or laws aimed at undermining labor’s power to defend our members and all workers then that will have to be. They are terrified to take this step and we know they will not without pressure from below, it is up to leaders and activists at the local level to provide that impetus and where necessary replace this obstacle to a huge resistance movement of our own that can confront the capitalist offensive.

 

Listen to the folks in the video, the people that have forced these brothers and sisters on strike are absolutely ruthless. They will stop at nothing in their rapacious quest for profits at the workers ‘expense; even death is acceptable. They will not be deterred by rallies and speeches from local government officials and workers cannot be out on strike for long periods which is what happens because the union leadership refuses to “cast the shadow of power” anywhere.