Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Cintas Workers Launch “Painful Truth Tour” To Expose the Human Costs of Clean Laundry

Posted by Media Release

Photo courtesy of here.

Workers Speak Out About the Pain and Injuries Suffered On the Job

The Coalition of Injured Cintas Workers today announced the launching of a nationwide tour to expose the hidden human costs of keeping America’s laundry clean. This summer, the Painful Truth Tour will span the nation to show investors, community leaders and Cintas uniform wearers in the hospitality industry the effect that unsafe machinery and production quotas at Cintas plants around the country have on laundry workers’ health.

“When I get home my whole body hurts. All I can do is take a pain pill and rest. I can’t even hold my grandchild,” said Adela Viera who works in Cintas’s Central Islip laundry. “I’m on the tour to get support so Cintas will make work safer for all of us.”

Appearing on the tour are current and former employees of Cintas who have joined the Coalition of Injured Cintas Workers after enduring a range of injuries from repetitive stress to crushed limbs. The Coalition was formed after safety hazards led to the death of Oklahoma Cintas worker Eleazar Torres Gomez. Mr. Torres Gomez was killed in March 2007 after being dragged into a 300-degree industrial dryer by an unguarded conveyor. Since this fatality, state and federal safety inspectors have cited Cintas for dozens of safety violations and proposed more than $3 million in penalties. The U.S. Congress has held two hearings highlighting the safety problems at Cintas.

Despite the deadly wake up call, dangerous working conditions persist. Last month California inspectors issued special orders for potentially lethal hazards in two Cintas laundries. OSHA is investigating a Chicago-area facility for allegedly inadequately guarded machinery.

Workers at Cintas report that regardless of the pain and injuries they suffer, they are pressured to hit production targets each day. Last December, the Wall Street Journal recently reported a higher injury rate for industrial laundries than for chemical manufacturing or oil drilling.

Cintas provides laundry, uniforms and other business services to 800,000 customers across North America. The Coalition of Injured Cintas Workers is a joint effort by the Uniform Justice campaign and current and former Cintas employees. Since 2003, UNITE HERE and the Teamsters unions have supported Cintas workers’ fight for better, safer jobs through the Uniform Justice campaign.

For more information, please visit http://www.uniformjustice.org and http://www.MakeCintasSafe.info.

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anon says:
22 Jul 2008  at  11:36 pm | #

Why don’t they pull the old “strike” tool out of the tool box???  With proper public education the community would support them, right?  And what about contacting those companies that are using Cintas and ask them to insist upon worker safety resolution - some of those contracts must be union companies.

Unions, even with some of their bad history, are the backbone of the middle class - we can make these jobs safe, create more jobs, and improve the economy if we all join or support the union.

These days, the union has been woefully absent in the cry for “change” across America - they need to be part of the answer to our problems:  force profit sharing with the workforce, require living wages from all companies working with them, for them and along side of them.

There’s more to being a union than merely making sure the right man gets elected - it is still dependent on public support for its efforts

Fanny Farmer says:
23 Jul 2008  at  09:39 am | #

The sad part is that the Farmer Family doesn’t care-Never did care and Never will care. So I agree with ann. They need to grab the attention by becoming a strong union and not one that sits on the sideline anymore.

.Cincy<>Capell. says:
23 Jul 2008  at  11:50 am | #

Interesting to note that CEO Farmer has been a major funder of the GOP since at least 2000. He has pushed for more and more of the disastrous workplace deregulation, which has lead to poisoned pet food, lead based toys for tots, increases in industrial pollution and more workplace accidents. If the GOP gets another 4 years OSHA won’t even exist. In fact, it has just come out that Bush and his cronies are trying to give Big Industry a parting gift by trying to redefine carbon dioxide emissions from industrial plants.

This is another example of why labour unions are so vitally important to America’s workers. Farmer’s plants need to be unionize now.

says:
23 Jul 2008  at  12:25 pm | #

I agree with you all about Farmer and the GOP, but what have the corporate Democrats done for working families? Clinton gave us NAFTA and it’s been supported by Gore, Leiberman, Kerry, Edwards and Obama.

They haven’t stood for a living wage or not-for-profit health care. They haven’t even talked about repealing the anti-labor Taft/Hartley Act.

Elana Levin of UNITE HERE says:
23 Jul 2008  at  04:33 pm | #

Thanks for your support of the workers everyone! Some clarifications: Cintas workers are doing everything they can to win safer jobs and better lives but their toolbox is limited because most are not yet union members. The company has fought workers’ efforts to organize for years.

While on the tour, members of the Coalition of Injured Workers are talking to UNITE HERE members who wear Cintas uniforms and asking for their support.  They are also talking with elected officials and community leaders.  We believe that when people hear about the injuries and pain these workers have suffered, they will be truly appalled and moved to action.

There are many ways we can help Cintas workers--and all workers struggling for a good life. The http://cintasexposed.org/ site has tools for companies that are currently using Cintas services to make their concerns heard (sounds like what you were suggesting, “anon"�). You can also help by supporting the Employee Free Choice Act. The Employee Free Choice Act will allow workers to once again choose to form unions without the fear of being fired. It would create a streamlined process for working people to decide if they wanted union representation. There’s more great info at the American Rights at Work site http://www.americanrightsatwork.org/employee-free-choice-act/home/

Elana Levin of UNITE HERE says:
23 Jul 2008  at  05:07 pm | #

Thanks for your support of the workers everyone! Some clarifications: Cintas workers are doing everything they can to win safer jobs and better lives but their toolbox is limited because most are not yet union members. The company has fought workers’ efforts to organize for years.

While on the tour, members of the Coalition of Injured Workers are talking to UNITE HERE members who wear Cintas uniforms and asking for their support.  They are also talking with elected officials and community leaders.  We believe that when people hear about the injuries and pain these workers have suffered, they will be truly appalled and moved to action.

There are many ways we can help Cintas workers--and all workers struggling for a good life. The http://cintasexposed.org/ site has tools for companies that are currently using Cintas services to make their concerns heard (sounds like what you were suggesting, “Anon”). You can also help by supporting the Employee Free Choice Act. The Employee Free Choice Act will allow workers to once again choose to form unions without the fear of being fired. It would create a streamlined process for working people to decide if they wanted union representation. There’s more great info at the American Rights at Work site http://www.americanrightsatwork.org/employee-free-choice-act/home/

R says:
25 Jul 2008  at  03:36 pm | #

In 232 years, this country has come to a place of Torture, don’t even know what that constitution thing is, a dollar is more valuable than a person.

232 years is a blink of an eye compared to othe civilizations. People cant get healthcare, groups of people have stolen so much money, those of us today, and the people behind us may never get out.  Our Politicians think that being elected is a game, rather than do what is best for the people, and furthermore, it is a way to spend other peoples money, dont need to be accountable, spit out racist and divisive comments, . Newspapers dont report news, they use it for gain, and we ( well not I ) are more concerned about Bragelina then the people who like the poster who said “ those at Cintas are just trying to have a better life.

we want to spend 100’s of millions of dollars for a streetcar to nowhere, just to benefit of a few, every election is a fraud, based on the stronger team.  Now that I am a nader supporter, dont mess with him Ohio.  Our County doesn’t even have audited financial statements, our “ Hometown bank, commits security fraud, not jusr against investors, but to its own employees. ( we are really lucky to have you now buy this ) It will take 14 years to fix the handicap spaces in the garage, and everyone still jumps in their car and leaves after a reds game. ( I counted Boy Genius )

I applaude the cintas people for for fighting for thier rights. They sure charge a whole bunch of money for their products, and i for one, will not use them in support of your efforts.

Hang in there.  It is the brave ones who stand up and question and fight , who will win.  That’s how this country started isnt it?

Ed says:
26 Jul 2008  at  11:46 am | #

RE Mr. Farmer.

He is a generous person who has contributed to many local chairities and institutions.

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