Camden Yards cleaners are embarking on an unprecedented state-wide tour to win a living wage. The United Workers Association, an organization that represents the stadium cleaners, have organized the tour to protest the use of state funds to create sub-poverty working conditions. At Camden Yards, the Maryland Stadium Authority out sources the stadium cleaning to a Michigan based company who then sub-contracts all the labor to day labor agencies in Baltimore and Prince Georges County.

The recent living wage bill signed by Governor Martin O’Malley could have brought a quick resolution for the stadium cleaners. Unfortunately the law contains a large loophole. It exempts part-time and temp workers. The United Workers remain hopeful that with O’Malley’s guidance, this loophole can be closed this year. An opportunity for change presents itself in September with the stadium cleaning contract coming up for renewal.

“There is no reason why the [Maryland] Stadium Authority can’t pay us a living wage,” said United Workers leader, Jacquetta Lyles. “If they would just do away with the wasteful layers of private contractors and subcontractors, they could pay us a living wage without spending a penny more. Why should the public’s money be used to force us into poverty?”

The Tour to Uncover Public-Sector Poverty (May 16-20) will reveal how the public’s dollars are going to private firms that pay workers sub-poverty wages. The cleaners at Camden Yards will share their experiences working at the publicly owned Camden Yards for private temp services that violate the workers human rights.

The day laborers, predominately African Americans and Latino immigrants, are charged a $6 van fee for transportation to the stadium, which takes their wages below the Maryland State minimum wage. They are forced to wait for up to three hours without pay either at the day labor agency hiring hall or at the stadium. Gender-discrimination is commonplace and systematic. Organizers and workers are verbally and physically harassed for demanding justice.

“I have seen too many women turned away from working at Camden Yards. I have been told after waiting two hours at the stadium to go home because I am a woman. The supervisor said we need eighteen men and ten women. I was number eleven or twelve and had to go home. It is hard to turn around and go home and have to explain to my family why I did not get work during those games,” said Lyles.

The 19 and 20th will mark the end of the tour with large protests, and the beginning of the summer campaign to win a Living Wage by September 1.

May 20

What: Human Rights March, Unity Concert and Cookout
• Led by a marching band, the march will rally in front of Next Day and perform a theater piece depicting the poverty conditions Next Day and the Maryland Stadium Authority create.
• Following the protest, the UWA has organized a Unity Concert at Patterson Park with local hip-hop artists and a Marimba band.

Who: The stadium cleaners will be joined by hundreds of allies from the faith, student, and youth community.

When: Sunday, May 20, 2007 at 3 PM.

Where: The United Workers and allies will be meeting at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, on the corner of Broadway and Bank St., in Baltimore, Maryland.
They will be marching down Broadway to Next Day Staffing. From there, they will go to Patterson Park.

Why:
• Protest the use of public dollars going to private firms that pay sub-poverty wages, exemplified by the Maryland Stadium Authority and Next Day Staffing.
• Demand an end to Next Day’s human rights abuses at Camden Yards.
• Kickoff the United Workers campaign to reach a living wage by September 1.

May 19

What: Double-header protest at the Ocean City Convention Center and Next Day Staffing, Inc.

Who: The United Workers Association is a human rights organization that represents the temp workers at Camden Yards.

When: Saturday, May 19, 2007. Ocean City protest at 9 AM; Next Day Staffing protest at 3:30 PM.

Where: Ocean City Convention Center, Ocean City; Next Day Staffing office, Hyattsville.

Why: Like Camden Yards, the Convention Center is run by the Maryland Stadium Authority and pays sub-poverty wages to its cleaners. Next Day Staffing, Inc. uses state funds to pay poverty wages. The public’s money should be going to pay living wages not further poverty.
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See also:

"Court Order Sought to Silence UWA"
(May 24, 2007)
baltimore.indymedia.org/newswire/display/15085/index.php

"Camden Yards Cleaners March to Peter Angelos"
(June 24, 2006)
baltimore.indymedia.org/newswire/display/13049/index.php

"Camden Yards Cleaners Take Struggle to RFK Stadium" (photoessay)
(May 20, 2006)
baltimore.indymedia.org/pbook/uwaprotest/chapter/1