Global Settlement Reached!
After months of struggle hundreds of workers at seven Southern California Prudential Overall Supply laundry facilities have ratified their contract. This is the first contract for workers at the Vista, California facility. The contract raises wage and benefit standards across the company, and represents the first time workers in Vista will have free family medical insurance, a pension and a real voice on the job.
Due to the courage of Prudential laundry workers they have won a strong contract and, I truly believe, have strengthened our union and our movement. Prudential workers have made gains for workers at the company and across this industry. Over the last year, Prudential workers have filed living wage enforcement complaints in the Cities of Oakland, Los Angeles and San Diego and not only won back wages for Milipitas and Chula Vista workers, but their fight has also strengthened living wage ordinance enforcement through out the state.
Months ago when Prudential workers began their fight many people had never heard of this little known industry, but Prudential workers have changed that. They have taken this work out of the shadows and in to the streets, into the courthouse, into council chambers, into our newspapers, into union halls and churches and at every step along the way they had tremendous support.
The gains Prudential workers made would not have been possible without the support of so many community organizations, labor unions, churches and compassionate individuals. I thank you all for the help you gave along the way. We received so much diverse support, from donations of money, toys and turkeys to your voices chanting on picket lines or joining in prayer. Your support and solidarity are an integral part of this victory. Si se pudo!
