BON MACY'S FAILS EMPLOYEES' HEALTH-CARE NEEDS

from SEIU Local 6

While Service Employees International Union Local 6 affirms the value of the The Bon Macy's "Charge for a Change" campaign to promote breast cancer awareness, we note the incredible irony that the store is failing to address the health-care needs of its own janitors.

After four rounds of contract negotiations with SEIU Local 6 janitors, The Bon is sending a message that the health of its janitors is not worth $2.41 per hour. That is the amount the store is balking at paying for full family health-care, including dental and short-term disability, even though over a dozen janitorial firms have already agreed to pay this rate.

"I've been cleaning nasty Bon toilets at 5:00am every work day for over 17 years," said Elaine Johnson, a Bon janitor at South Center who is a member of the union's negotiating team. "It's bad enough that the store only pays me $9.80 per hour, but their refusal to pay for my medical coverage makes me sick!"

Janitorial firms in the Seattle area who do pay for the family insurance for their janitors and their families include American Building Maintenance, Metropolitan Building, Dependable Building Maintenance, Diamond Janitorial, Dunn Janitorial, Pacific Building, Seattle Building Maintenance, and others.

All of these unionized contractors also pay wages for janitors at a much higher rate than The Bon does.

"The Bon tries to project a compassionate, responsible image to the community," said Sergio Salinas, President of SEIU Local 6, "Yet the reality of their internal practices harshly contradicts their public relations."

"The Bon can afford to purchase full-page color ads in the Sunday Seattle Times to promote breast cancer awareness like it did on October 3, yet it can't pay janitors' health costs of $2.41 per hour? For crying out loud!" added Sarah Luthens, lead negotiator for the union janitors.

As of this writing, the next round of contract negotiations has not been scheduled. A federal mediator, Andy Hall, has been called in for assistance.