After two years of sweat, hard work, and committed leadership from the United Workers Association, we have won a significant victory for all day laborers and low wage workers in Baltimore City. For the first time in the history of Baltimore and quite possibly in the United States, a corporation has been forced to recognize its relationship to its day laborers. Knight Facilities Management has signed an agreement with the United Workers Association, adopting a Code of Conduct. For the past 8 years workers who clean Camden Yards after baseball games have endured working without pay, sexual harassment, no breaks, blacklisting, and gone without any mechanism to voice these grievances. The Code of Conduct signed by Knight Facilities Management recognizes their committment to putting an end to these abuses.

If the Code of Conduct is violated Knight Facilities Management has agreed that the United Workers Association will represent day laborers at the stadium. Another first for day laborers in this country and in Baltimore City!

What is left on the table is the issue of wages. Knight Faciities Management has agreed to a pay increase of about $1.35 bringing workers pay to $6.50. This is still far below the poverty line.

Peter Angelos, the owner of the Orioles, had made a committment to the UWA to contribute the necessary funds to bring workers pay to a living wage.

We are calling on all supporters, allies, and activists to send faxes to Peter Angelos's office urging him to honor this committment and open up a dialogue with the United Workers Association.

His Fax number is 410-659-1782.

Here is a sample letter you can use or amend. Thanks...

Peter G. Angelos
Law Office of Peter G. Angelos
100 Charles Place
Baltimore, Md. 21201

Re: Day Laborers at Camden Yards

Dear Mr. Angelos:

I hope that you are doing well. I am looking forward to the new baseball season and a new era for day laborers at the Camden Yards Sports Complex. Indeed I have been delighted by the overwhelming support and recognition day laborers have recently won. The Baltimore City Council President Sheila Dixon has introduced a resolution affirming the human rights of day laborers with the goal of drafting legislation to protect workers. The Baltimore Sun’s editorial board published an editorial in support of day laborers (see February 28th edition).

As the new season approaches I want to make sure that workers do in fact earn a living wage rather than the poverty pay that they have been receiving since Camden Yards opened. The Council’s leadership and your leadership are making the invisible plight of day laborers a visible issue to be resolved. Add to that the recent success the United Workers Association (UWA) has had in winning an agreement with the new stadium contractor, Knight Facilities Management (KFM). This agreement stipulates a Code of Conduct and a worker representation via the UWA in a formalized grievance procedure. KFM has also stated that they will start workers at $6.50 an hour as opposed to what workers’ received last season ($4-6.25 per hour). This is an improvement but as you know does not reach the level of what Baltimore City recognizes to be a living wage ($8.85).

It has come to my attention that you reached an agreement with Homeless Persons Representation Project and the United Workers Association to ensure that workers do in fact earn a living wage at the stadium. I applaud you for this commitment, your efforts along with those of KFM will truly make a difference in the lives of some of our most impoverished city residents.

My brothers and sisters in the UWA have explained to me that up to this point a clear system has not been arranged to where this additional money would go directly to the workers. I urge you to contact the UWA to work out such a system before the season begins. If you have any questions feel free to contact me. I will be in contact with the UWA to see what progress has been made on this important workers rights issue.

Thank you for your leadership in this cause. I look forward to hearing good news from stadium both on and off the field!


Sincerely,