Houston janitors joined concerned community members to protest Senator John Cornyn’s vote against the Teachers and First Responders Back to Work Act, which would have placed much needed teachers in Texas schools.
Los trabajadores de limpieza de Houston se unieron a miembros de la comunidad para protestar en contra del senador Cornyn quien se opuso a invertir en el futuro de los niños Tejanos.
By ANITA HASSAN and MIKE MORRIS, HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Eight protesters were arrested Wednesday in a Houston demonstration connected with the economically disgruntled Occupy Wall Street protest movement sweeping the nation, police said.
They were among a group of more than 150 protesters outside the Mickey Leland Federal Building downtown, where a large group crammed inside for a sit-in, drawing dozens of police officers in riot gear and inspiring moments of tension.
Several groups, including demonstrators aligned with the Occupy Houston movement, took part in the sit-in.
Several arrests downtown this afternoon after protestors took the streets to demonstrate against what they call a lack of progress on President Obama's jobs bill.
"We are the 99 percent! We are the 99 percent!"
Several hundred protesters, many chanting "We are the 99 percent", tried to force their way into the lobby of the Leland Federal building downtown. That's where Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison's Houston offices are located. They're upset about Hutchison's no-vote this week on President Obama's American Jobs Act.
Pete Puente is part of an electricians union and says many of his colleagues can't find new work.
"You have to stand up and reach out to the decision makers, to the job makers. That's why we put them in office, to create jobs to help this economy, to help this United States of America. We're not united."
Mayor Parker’s commitment to protecting quality jobs makes her the best candidate for working Houstonians.
Houston, TX- SEIU Local 1 members including janitors who clean commercial office buildings along with maintenance and housekeeping workers who service city facilities such as Houston City Jails and George R. Brown Convention Center have endorsed Mayor Annise Parker for re-election.
Mayor Parker’s commitment to creating quality family-sustaining jobs makes her the best candidate for Houston’s working families. Continuing her track record as an ally of working people, Mayor Parker has pledged to support the efforts of Houston’s janitors to raise standards for low wage workers during contract negotiations slated for early 2012.
Janitor and SEIU Local 1 member Adriana Vazquez is joined by SEIU Local 1 Houston director Elsa Caballero and City Council Member Ed Gonzalez
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Houston City Councilman Ed Gonzalez and Councilwoman Yolanda Jones stood side by side with 200 janitors and community supporters in Houston during SEIU’s National Day of Action.
Janitors took the streets in front of 811 Rusk to support jobs that have created a path to the middle class for thousands of Houston families and call out irresponsible employers, such as Professional Janitorial Services, who seek to undermine this progress.
Several arrests downtown this afternoon after protestors took the streets to demonstrate against what they call a lack of progress on President Obama's jobs bill.