UNITE-HERE Organizes Cintas In Canada, gains on Walmart

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/node/7911

Unions in the United States have long sought to organize North American laundry giant, Cintas. This month a Candian union did just that. Jesse Russell reports.

Unite-Here has been seeking to organize workers at laundry giant Cintas for years. Between 2004 and 2007 the company chose to settle more than 70 allegations of interfering with a workers' right to organize. In the past, the National Labor Relations Board has called the company's violations "intensive."

This month UNITE-Here in Canada won a fight to organize Contas workers in Montreal. The Quebec Labor Board certified a petition filed by the Cintas workers last week. Canada has labor laws that make it easier for workers to organize than their United States counterparts. For example, labor in the U.S. has long sought to organize Wal-Mart stores, but has repeatedly failed. Canada has watched as more than three Wal-Marts organized over the past two years.