More respect for our hard work

Justice for Janitors has launched the Invisible to Essential campaign, calling on property owners, managers and cleaning contractors to work together to make immediate improvements to cleaner’s working conditions.

“I have to work even though there is great risk to my own health,” said Vilma Lopez, a janitor working in Burnaby, BC.

[su_quote style=”default” cite=”” url=”” class=””]We are providing an important service to the public and deserve more respect for our hard work.[/su_quote]

The campaign demands include an immediate $2 per hour raise; keeping cleaners employed during the crisis; and ensuring all cleaners are working safely with the required training and Personal Protect Equipment (PPE). 

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in many invisible service workers being thrust into the spotlight. Despite this, janitors continue to be amongst the lowest paid and most underappreciated workers in our society. Janitors say every worker needs to earn enough to pay the bills, job protection, and appropriate health safeguards. 

Slim Gedeon cleans City Hall in the nation’s capital. “At least now society understands how important and essential we are,” he says. “We are the ones disinfecting to keep our city safe. I am constantly disinfecting elevator buttons, doorknobs and working hard to ensure the virus does not spread.”  

Janitors face the triple threats of layoffs, low wages, and health impacts of COVID-19. We ensure our essential workplaces are kept clean, including healthcare facilities, public transportation systems, vital shopping locations, courthouses, morgues, parcel delivery facilities, police stations, office buildings, and more. We will also be deep cleaning our shutdown workplaces to ready them for the return of the public when the time comes. These include the schools, colleges, and universities everyone’s children attend. 

Justice for Janitors has been in contact with employers since the beginning of the crisis, ensuring all required safety measures are being met. Most recently an open letter was delivered addressing the government’s new position on mask-wearing. [link to letter]

[su_quote style=”default” cite=”” url=”” class=””]People say that we are important, but do they really treat us that way?” [/su_quote]Slim wonders.

In just a few days, a public petition supporting the janitors’ demands has received over one thousand signatures.  If you haven’t sign, you can do it right now!