Salazar said Torres didn’t demand one but any jobs adding up to $3,000 as promised. Salazar said, “She never got those offers, nothing even close. It’s misleading and she’s not alone.”

The franchise regional manager told Salazar “I want Maria to be successful. To want to help Maria. I don’t want to have an adversarial relationship.” Salazar said none of the franchise buyers received refunds.

More at source: WOWT NBC

TOLEDO -- Developmentally disabled workers have replaced janitorial employees at a state-owned building in northern Ohio under a contract reorganization by the state.

The state Department of Administrative Services started the changes with One Government Center in Toledo but said it also will be arranging janitorial staffing for buildings it oversees in Cleveland, Akron, and Columbus, The Blade reported.

More at source: Newark Advocate

Alice McAfee has worked as a janitor for nearly 30 years. She has seen a lot of changes in the industry, she says, but not for the better. Her work has become harder, her hours have been cut and her wages have not kept up with inflation.

McAfee has joined more than 400 other Houston janitorial workers in protests over their working conditions. They are asking for a wage increase, from $8.35 an hour to $10 an hour, to be implemented over a three-year period.

More at source: Texas Tribune

The issue of market share, coupled with a contract provision that allows the seven union contractors to pay less than union-negotiated wages if they're bidding against a nonunion contractor, is at the forefront of the negotiations that started again Thursday to try to resolve a contract dispute that has resulting in demonstrations, arrests and spot strikes.

The 3,200 janitors, whose last contract ended May 31, are seeking a raise from $8.35 to $10 an hour.

More at source: Chron.com

There’s nothing quite like the luxurious feel of clean carpet beneath your feet. However, if not done properly, carpet cleaning can become an assault both on the enviroment and on the health of everyone in your home. It doesn’t have to be this way, though! Listed below are five key ways to make cleaning your house’s carpets a much more eco-friendly affair. Read on:

Vacuum

Carpeting is an attractive environment for health hazards such as dust, mold, pet dander and other allergens. Not only that, some carpets made with synthetic weaves give...

More at source: GreenerIdeal

It takes a lot of repair work to keep government operational. Considering the buildings, roads, bridges and public lands the state owns, it is not surprising that the demand for repair work is strong and continual.

There are thousands of contracting opportunities each week for firms offering repair services. Outside contractors are routinely hired for specialized expertise such as elevator repair, security alarm maintenance and window washing for high-rise office buildings.

More at source: Bizjournals

Echoing the story of David vs. Goliath, janitors in Houston are on strike and taking on such corporate giants as JPMorganChase and Exxon Mobile in an effort to pressure the janitorial companies they employ to agree to the workers' modest demands. It is these big business behemoths that are the real powers behind cleaning contractors such as ABM, GCA, ISS etc. By striking against these contractors, and publicly targeting these contractors' employers, the janitors are using their collective power in a showdown that has great significance for not only the Labor Movement but all workers.

The janitors are members of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1, which has a membership of 3,200 in Houston. Currently, these workers' wages top out at $8.35 per hour. On average, they make under $9,000 a year. The government defines the poverty line as an income of $22,314 for a family of four and $11,139 for an individual.

More at source: IndyBay

Commercial Janitorial, a full service cleaning company, announced today a major expansion into the nation’s number one commercial cleaning market in New York City. Company officials revealed that the expansion will include a new Manhattan sales office which will provide service all 5 boroughs throughout NYC.
The move is expected to be part of the company’s continued expansion into the East Coast cleaning markets including...

More at source: Eyogoslavia

Vacuum Cleaner Advisor has just released its annual list of the best stick vacuums. This year's list features models from Miele, Hoover, Bissell, Euro-Pro, Electrolux and Eureka.

The Houston Chronicle reports that the union, which represents 3,200 janitors in Houston, recently staged a sit-down in the middle of a downtown Houston intersection. Police arrested the 15 protesters who participated in the sit-down.

More at source: Bizjournal