Janitors' Victory at UM Sparks New Organizing by Florida Service Workers to Lift Themselves out of Poverty Growing community coalition backing worker campaigns at malls, universities June 15, 2006

Janitors at University of Miami, UNICCO Reach Agreement Today, May 1, 2006, UNICCO Service Company and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 11 entered into a Settlement Agreement in connection with the ongoing labor dispute at the University of Miami. May 1, 2006

Send Some Love to Miami Janitors There's a battle going on at the University of Miami that campus president Donna Shalala would like us all to forget about. The Huffington Post April 25, 2006

UM Administration Cracking Down Against Protests, Campus Dissent by Students, Workers, Supporters UM Continues to Ignore Civil Rights Abuses of Contractor UNICCO, But Takes Legal Action Blocking Workers,’ Students’ Freedom of Speech and Association April 26, 2006

SEN. JOHN EDWARDS, TEAMSTER'S JAMES HOFFA JOIN GROWING NATIONAL CHORUS CALLING ON SHALALA TO SUPPORT JANITORS UNICCO Health Plan Unaffordable for Families of Janitors at UM; Children, Spouses Could be Left without Coverage April 25, 2006

Teamster President James P. Hoffa, Workers, Students Kick Off Campaign to Make Work Pay! For Everyone Press Conference and Rally to Highlight Plight of Port Drivers, UNICCO Employees and Other Working People April 24, 2006

UNICCO Health Plan Unaffordable for Families of Janitors at UM; Children, Spouses Could be Left with out Coverage “It is up to all of us to care about our children. We can not leave them without the health care they need. A world class institution like the University of Miami can afford to make sure the men and women who keep their campus clean can afford to provide health insurance for their families,” said Change to Win Federation Chair Anna Burger. “It sends the wrong message when Miami’s biggest private employer is willing to let children go without health care.” April 23, 2006

UNICCO Says Card Check OK – Firm says it agrees to card check process in at least half of union drives Bonior, Striking Janitors ask Shalala, “Why not Here?” April 14, 2006

Urgent Strike Update April 13 Hunger striker Feliciano Hernandez was rushed to the hospital last night around 7pm after complaining of severe headaches. April 13, 2006

Miami, Boston Immigrant Janitors Fasting in Protest of Civil Rights Abuses by Major Boston-area Employer Boston cleaning firm UNICCO again at center of national controversy over treatment of immigrant workers. April 11, 2006

Janitors at Second Major South Florida University To Strike UNICCO Janitors at Nova Southeast University will begin a strike tonight over unfair labor practices committed by UNICCO—the company hired by the university to clean the campus. April 10, 2006

University of Miami Hunger Strike Update: Saturday, April 8 Day Four This afternoon, we found it necessary to ask for emergency medical assistance for Isabel Montalvo, 52.  A janitor at the University of Miami in the physical plant, Isabel Montalvo began a hunger fast four days ago to protest the continued civil rights abuses committed by UNICCO. April 8, 2006

Janitor & Student Hunger Strike Begins at UM Workers and community want cleaning company to be held accountable. April 5, 2006

"Super Majority" of Janitors at UM Send Signal of Support for Campaign University of Miami striking janitors announced today they reached a "super" majority or 57 percent of striking and nonstriking janitors who want the right decide for themselves how to form a union. Janitors at the University of Miami went on strike 27 days ago to protest unfair labor practices committed against workers who support the union. March 27, 2006

Nova Janitors to Ask President Ferraro for Higher Wages, Health Care Janitors on Strike at UM, Clergy On the Move to Nova March 21, 2006

UNICCO May Have Violated County Living Wage Ordinance, Could owe Hundreds of Thousands in Back Pay to Janitors at UM MIAMI--UNICCO, the cleaning company hired by the University of Miami to clean the campus, may have violated the county Living Wage Ordinance passed in May of 1999 by failing to properly compensate its employees, according to charges to be filed today in Miami-Dade County by an employee of the company. March 20, 2006

Striking Janitors: University Announcement a Victory, But No Guarantee of Improvements New Unfair Labor Practice Charges To Be Filed Friday Against Troubled Contractor Unicco March 16, 2006

Janitors to Visit Gloria Estefan and Other UM Trustees at Star Island March around the Island planned March 15, 2006

Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Miami Calls on Donna Shalala, Janitors’ Union to Meet to “Come to Peaceful resolution” of Strike MIAMI- The Most Rev. Felipe Estavez, the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Miami, today called on Donna Shalala and SEIU to come together to resolve the janitors strike at the University of Miami.  “It is good for the community and for the University to have a peaceful resolution. So I call on Donna Shalala, or her representative, to sit down with the union and a Board member of the Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice.” March 5, 2006

Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Miami to Make Statement Regarding Strike at UM Following Special "Janitors" Mass MIAMI- The Most Rev. Felipe Estavez, the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Miami deeply concerned about the magnitude of the dispute will deliver a of the University message to all parties involved in the strike by janitors at the University of Miami following a special "Janitors' Mass" at St. Augustine's Catholic Church in Coral Gables.  Striking janitors and their families will be in attendance.  March 5, 2006 .

Hundreds march with Unicco workers at the University of Miami in the largest march in the recent history of UM In an unexpected swell of community activism hundreds of students, faculty, workers and community leaders march in support of maintenance employees who are on strike. March 3, 2006

Grupo de Guias Espirituales En Exilio Convocaran Una Rueda De Prensa Para Apoyar A Los Trabajadores De Limpieza De La Universidad de Miami Miami - Nosotros, miembros del Grupo de Guias Espirituales en Exilio, estamos muy preocupados por la crisis que esta occuriendo en el campus de aa Universidad de Miami. 28 Febrero del 2006

First Two Waves of Janitors' Strike at University Of Miami Raise Number of Workers on Strike at Coral Gables Campus to 50 Percent MIAMI-Night shift janitors at the Coral Gables Campus on strike last night were joined this morning by janitors who clean the student dormitories and the Athletic center.  Community support for the janitors has intensified since last night. Faculty member refused to insist that their students cross picket lines and instead held classes off campus. March 1, 2006

Janitors strike night shift at UM Coral Gables campus; dorms and library to go out Wednesday MIAMI-Night shift janitors at the Coral Gables Campus of the University of Miami walked off the job tonight in the first wave of an escalating strike to protest unfair labor practices committed by UNICCO.  February 28, 2006

Coral Gables Clergy Deliver Hundreds of Postcards to Donna Shalala; Janitors to open Strike Office MIAMI- Coral Gables Clergy plan to make a last minute appeal to Donna Shalala as Janitors at the University of Miami get ready to strike over unfair labor practices committed by UNICCO. February 27, 2005

Janitors Vote Overwhelmingly To Authorize Strike at University Of Miami over Unfair Labor Practices Committed By Janitorial Services Giant UNICCO Faculty Vow to Move Classes off Campus if Janitors Strike February 27, 2006

Background on Strike As Miami-Dade's largest single employer, the University of Miami has a special obligation to be a leader in the fight against poverty. Yet, the university's policies have actually increased Miami-Dade's poverty rate. In an already poor city, janitors at the University of Miami are some of the poorest, earning as little as $13,104 a year, less than half the county median.