As it tries to ramp up public pressure against cleaning companies, the union seeking a new contract for 3,200 Houston janitors is meeting impediments it didn't face six years ago when it won its first contract.

The Service Employees International Union has expanded impromptu strikes at the large office buildings its janitors clean. It also has disrupted meetings and has conducted traffic-blocking demonstrations that have led to 18 arrests as it seeks to increase what it calls "street heat" against business owners and cleaning contractors.

More at source: Chron.com

Maria claims she was promised $3,000 a month. Salazar went to the company to ask why wearing a Fact Finder’s hidden camera. A regional manager for the Omaha Stratus Franchise said, “We were directed by Maria not to call unless you have one account that does $3,000 a month period.”

Read more and watch video at source: WOWT

Back in the day, cleaning products used to sell on the strength of their chemical smells, but consumers are now demanding something closer to perfume in their toilet bowl cleaners and laundry detergents. Michael Papas, an executive perfumer at Givaudan SA, a company that creates scents for products, told the WSJ about the expectation for today’s cleaners: “At one time everyone wanted these clean, traditional scents, but now consumers want a whole experience when they're doing their laundry or washing their floors.” Yes, why endure the drudgery of scrubbing the splattered tomato sauce off the wall when you can instead pretend you are frolicking in the lemon groves of Amalfi?

Read more at the source: Slate

In a bust that gives new meaning to the term “white-collar crime,” authorities in suburban Washington, D.C., broke up a ring of thieves who bought stolen Tide laundry detergent and exported it for resale in Vietnam.

More at source: MSN

The Company reported that this year's third quarter results included 5% organic sales growth over the prior year period (including the impact of changes in foreign currency rates, organic sales growth was 4%). Sales growth was due to increases in home improvement retail, automotive aftermarket, vehicle wash, industrial MRO, janitorial/sanitation and food processing. In addition, acquisitions provided incremental revenue gains compared to the same period last year.

More at source: Marketwatch

The recently laid-off janitors are angry because they were not rehired after the city awarded a new municipal janitorial contract to South Holland-based Dayspring Janitorial Service in early June.

The group hand delivered a letter to one of the mayor’s aides in which they claim the city “made a mistake” because Dayspring did not retain the original workforce and has instead hired on a new staff with slashed wages and benefits.

More at source: Progress Illinois

So Rubbermaid, which is part of Sandy Springs, Ga.-based Newell Rubbermaid, conducted research and toured customers’ homes, studying as they put away their leftovers and cleaned their bathrooms. What they learned is that everyone finds their own solutions, so Rubbermaid’s new products had to be flexible, to fit established habits.

Employers often hire for skill and talent. Although the new employee may be highly skilled, it doesn’t always mean the new hire is beneficial to the company. It takes much more than talent and skill for an employee to be successful. It’s all about the attitude. Yet this is often overlooked or receives far too little attention during the interview process.

Men In Kilts Window Cleaning franchise was featured on MSNBC's 'Your Business' this week. MSNBC recently flew a TV crew out from New York to their Seattle window cleaning operations. Men In Kilts demonstrated how they are using a little humor and a lot of professionalism to build their window cleaning franchise across North America.

More at source: MSNBC

Thousands of Puget Sound-area janitors could go on strike next month if negotiations on a new labor contract break down, says a spokesperson for the union that represents them.

The janitors, who are represented by Service Employees International Union Local 6, voted Saturday to authorize a strike if janitorial companies fail to reach a contract with the union. Labor negotiations have been under way since May 8.