On April 4th the United Workers Association set about making the invisible visible, leading a march of over sixty workers and community groups to Camden Yards where outsourcing jobs has resulted in the use of some of the most exploitative day labor agencies.

Workers who clean up Camden Yards after Orioles’ home games, testified to the sweatshop conditions they experience—no breaks, hours worked without pay, and poverty wages. Along Eutaw Street fans cheered as the marchers traveled past, reading our signs read “Stadium Authority = Sweatshops”. One fan was so shocked by our stories he gave away his ticket to one of the workers!

The UWA was encouraged by growing support for our “End Sweatshop Baseball” campaign. In the past week we received a commitment from Peter Angelos, the majority owner of the Orioles, to assist us in organizing a three party meeting between the UWA, the Orioles, and the Stadium Authority to negotiate for living wages and a voice on the job for labor pool workers. The Stadium Authority has responsibility for maintenance of Camden Yards.

During the march and rally workers made sure to applaud Mr. Angelos for his continued leadership when it comes to the rights of workers. “Just as Mr. Angelos is a part of a tradition of defending workers rights we too are a part of that tradition. And in new ways we are gaining recognition for the rights of low-wage workers” explained Robert Brown, UWA leader.

What the UWA has found over the last two years is that many are joining in this new labor tradition—from day laborers to farm workers, to workfare mothers to student groups and religious leaders. Just as we had recently joined the Coalition of Immokalee Workers on their Taco Bell Truth Tour, many community groups came to support the idea of a sweatshop free Camden Yards. Our good friends from the Richmond Living Wage Coalition made the three-hour trip, while activists from D.C. and Baltimore also gathered with us at Eutaw Center shelter for the march. Day laborers of course came out in force from all over Baltimore city… it is hard to find workers who haven’t worked “down at the stadium”. Casa De Maryland members who have worked for F and M Janitorial (one of the day labor agencies contracted at Camden) came to offer support as well.

For more information on the protest and more pictures from the event please check our web site this week as workers are putting together a more comprehensive report... www.unitedworkers.org