What: Nine workers march to demand their former employers pay wages
Where: 9110 Smith Ave, Baltimore, Maryland, 21236
When: June 18, 2003, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Who: Workers, supporters, and CASA of Maryland

On June 18th, 9 former employees and their supporters will demonstrate in front of the residence/office of Myrko Martinez and Luisa Chu, owners of Power Cleaning Solutions, to protest this company’s failure to pay their earned wages. The protest will draw attention to the unlawful practices of Power Cleaning Solutions, a Baltimore County cleaning company that has contracts with retail giants such as Staples, Giant, Michael’s and K-Mart.

Power Cleaning has blatantly disregarded state and federal worker protection statutes by repeatedly failing to pay their employees’ earned wages. Along with the protest, the workers will file a lawsuit on June 18 in the Circuit Court of Baltimore County against Power Cleaning and its owners seeking back wages of nearly $15,000 plus damages, attorney’s fees and costs. In addition to failing to pay wages, the lawsuit alleges that company took unlawful deductions from the workers’ paychecks. The workers are represented by CASA of Maryland, a non-profit advocacy and service organization that operates the Workers’ Rights Center in Fells Point.

“I worked very hard for Power Cleaning and I was not paid my wages. It’s not fair that other people might be mistreated and not paid like I was,” says Serafin Vazquez, a Plaintiff in the lawsuit and member of CASA’s worker’s committee.

According to Gustavo Torres, Executive Director of CASA, direct actions, like Wednesday’s march combined with litigation, send the right message to abusive employers and the public. “Bad employers commit crimes against workers. These crimes depend upon silence. We will not be silent until the workers receive their earned wages. Also, this company has very good contracts with reputable companies. These companies and their customers need to know that their dollars are supporting slave-like conditions. We say no to work without pay.”

Demanding a just work atmosphere and respect for employees are the principles behind CASA of Maryland, which assisted workers in organizing the protest. “Whenever workers are cheated out of their earned wages, we see an opportunity to provide organizing resources and leadership skills to our future advocates and leaders,” according to Torres.

For more information:

Serafin E. Vasquez, worker representative 410-732-7777
Jill Wrigley, attorney - CASA of Maryland 410-732-7777
Gustavo Torres, Executive Director - CASA of Maryland 301-270-0419
Myrko Martinez and Luisa Chu, Power Cleaning Solutions 410-529-0943