You’re a Mean One, Arke Management
The Grinch Who Stole Christmas: Arke Management Dumps Union Janitors in the Pearl District’s Brewery Blocks Just In Time for the Holidays Holiday shoppers are bustling through Portland’s Pearl District, buying gifts, eating and drinking—but not everyone is bringing the cheer. Just before the holidays, property management company Arke Management dumped the union janitors who used to clean M Financial Plaza and the Whole Foods Building, two of the landmark Brewery Block buildings adjacent to Burnside Street and Powell’s City of Books. “I’ve been working as a union janitor for eight years, and I’m 63 years old. I am so close to retirement, and I wouldn’t want to be…
Six ABM Janitors Celebrate Graduating the Green Janitor Education Program
We have been collaborating with Unico Properties LLC to bring the Green Janitor Education Program to downtown Portland. Recently we celebrated six janitors of ABM Janitorial at the Moda Tower completing the program! The Green Janitor Education Program provides education in green building practices to meet the latest energy, water, and green initiative standards. It covers topics like: Energy efficiency Recycling Waste management Water conservation …and other sustainable and green cleaning practices “Our janitorial staff are the eyes and ears of the building, and they are absolutely essential to the successful, sustainable operations of our properties.” –Keren Eichen, Unico Properties Director, Real Estate Services The Green Janitor…
Investing in Our Workplaces…and Our Communities
As tenants begin to return, make sure your office space is ready to welcome them back. As Janitors in Seattle and San Francisco settle contracts, that help ensure janitors are Protected, Respected, Paid, and on the job to help welcome back tenants, Portland area janitors head into their final week of bargaining a new contract. Abel Hernandez is a janitor who works in downtown Portland. During the past year, he has continued to show up at his office building to clean and sanitize to help stop the spread of the deadly coronavirus. He plays an important and risky role in keeping our community safe, and it has been a long,…
Portland-area janitors are taking action to win good jobs and urge decision-makers to hire responsible contractors
Janitors and security officers who clean, service, and secure the commercial real estate, high tech, public services, and apparel industries in Oregon and SW Washington are united with workers from across the West Coast in their campaign to win a new three-year contract with their employers. Janitors are coming together at their worksites to show unity around their campaign and to highlight the important role they play. “As tenants start to return to offices, it is imperative that proper cleaning and security protocols are in place, and that frontline workers are trained, have experience at their site, have access to affordable healthcare, and have paid time off so they do not need to…
Janitors call on Harrison Square Owners to Build Back Better
Janitors and their allies called on the owners of Harrison Square, Libertas Companies, to invest in a Responsible Union Contractor. Libertas pulled some fast moves last year: after buying the building, they ditched their long-time responsible Union contractor, leaving janitors and their families in the lurch. Libertas instead contracted with Expresso Building Services, a contractor currently under investigation by Oregon’s Bureau of Labor and Industries for apparent violations of basic contractor registration requirements, which were developed to protect workers from exploitation at the hands of fly-by-night contractors. Expresso Building Services holds a “red” rating from ResponsibleContractorGuide.com, which tracks janitorial and security contractors’ adherence to area workplace standards and protections on…
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