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First week of Houston strike
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The first week of the strike.
Picket lines are set.
Monday we all took our positions outside the downtown buildings targeted to be pulled for the strike. Police presence was heavy - security guards and sheriff's deputies were posted at entrances and parking garages. It was organized chaos. We had vans circling the city prepared to pick up strikers and take them to 1100 Lousiana Ave - ground zero for our rally starting point.
I got into it with a sheriff outside the Penzoil building. One of the janitors tried to cross the picket line and two of our organizers approached her to convince her not to go to work. She tried to maneuver around them and the sheriff walked away from the building's private space onto the sidewalk to try and assist her. I ran over and "ran interference" by getting in between him and the staff. I didn't put my hands on him but my body was pressed against his inthe crush. Unfortunately, the worker got into the building. After the smoke cleared he pointed at me and told me bluntly that the next time i touched him he would "put the cuffs on me" and haul me to jail. I promised him i wouldn't tough him again.
Success! - We pulled 500 janitos out that night and marched to Tranquility Park past rows of police some on horseback, others on foot. Houston had never seen anything like it before.
Day 2 - Banner drops over several freeway interchanges at 6:00am "Justice for Janitors - Why not Houston?"
Today we had 1000 janitors as we added more buildings!
Day 3 - marched to a downtown pavilion instead of Tranquility Park. We still haven't solved the bathroom issue - the city wants $5000 for porta potty permit and all park bathrooms remained locked. Our temporary solution is to have 2 vans circle around and take small groups to restaurants for bathroom breaks.
Day 4 - RAIN! We renetd the huge basement of the downtown Hyatt and 800 showed up. There were benefits to not being able to march in the monsoon-like rains: it was easier to go over plans/strategy inside with a sound system and closed room. The Hyatt, however, was not pleased as we exceeded our estimate of 500 for the room. It was great to watch them file in through the fancy lobby of the hotel as shocked, mostly white, patrons looked up from their $10.00 martinis and meals in confusion and concern. Comments were overheard: "What is all this?" "Who are they?"
Friday - Another poor weather day as 60 mile an hour winds swept through downtown. It was hard to hear and harder to hold onto flyers and picket signs. We had our solid core of 600-800.
Congressman John Lewis - a veteran of the civil rights movement - marched at the head of our group. It is heartening to see African-American leaders "getting it" and supporting our fight.
More trainings in Tranquility Park. We are getting tighter.
Houston - your quiet, normally "well-behaved" cheap brown labor is speaking up, organizing and marching. Things will never be the same again in Texas.
Picket lines are set.
Monday we all took our positions outside the downtown buildings targeted to be pulled for the strike. Police presence was heavy - security guards and sheriff's deputies were posted at entrances and parking garages. It was organized chaos. We had vans circling the city prepared to pick up strikers and take them to 1100 Lousiana Ave - ground zero for our rally starting point.
I got into it with a sheriff outside the Penzoil building. One of the janitors tried to cross the picket line and two of our organizers approached her to convince her not to go to work. She tried to maneuver around them and the sheriff walked away from the building's private space onto the sidewalk to try and assist her. I ran over and "ran interference" by getting in between him and the staff. I didn't put my hands on him but my body was pressed against his inthe crush. Unfortunately, the worker got into the building. After the smoke cleared he pointed at me and told me bluntly that the next time i touched him he would "put the cuffs on me" and haul me to jail. I promised him i wouldn't tough him again.
Success! - We pulled 500 janitos out that night and marched to Tranquility Park past rows of police some on horseback, others on foot. Houston had never seen anything like it before.
Day 2 - Banner drops over several freeway interchanges at 6:00am "Justice for Janitors - Why not Houston?"
Today we had 1000 janitors as we added more buildings!
Day 3 - marched to a downtown pavilion instead of Tranquility Park. We still haven't solved the bathroom issue - the city wants $5000 for porta potty permit and all park bathrooms remained locked. Our temporary solution is to have 2 vans circle around and take small groups to restaurants for bathroom breaks.
Day 4 - RAIN! We renetd the huge basement of the downtown Hyatt and 800 showed up. There were benefits to not being able to march in the monsoon-like rains: it was easier to go over plans/strategy inside with a sound system and closed room. The Hyatt, however, was not pleased as we exceeded our estimate of 500 for the room. It was great to watch them file in through the fancy lobby of the hotel as shocked, mostly white, patrons looked up from their $10.00 martinis and meals in confusion and concern. Comments were overheard: "What is all this?" "Who are they?"
Friday - Another poor weather day as 60 mile an hour winds swept through downtown. It was hard to hear and harder to hold onto flyers and picket signs. We had our solid core of 600-800.
Congressman John Lewis - a veteran of the civil rights movement - marched at the head of our group. It is heartening to see African-American leaders "getting it" and supporting our fight.
More trainings in Tranquility Park. We are getting tighter.
Houston - your quiet, normally "well-behaved" cheap brown labor is speaking up, organizing and marching. Things will never be the same again in Texas.
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