On Thursday, January 21, janitors who clean Northern California supermarkets will demonstrate outside of two Safeway stores in North Oakland, calling on Safeway’s janitorial contractors to implement “Green Cleaning” standards that would mitigate health and safety risks associated with current toxic cleaning products. The janitors will protest the contractors’ opposition to “Green Cleaning” proposals, and Safeway’s refusal to engage them on the issue.
“The chemicals we use to clean the Safeway stores are very strong, and I’m afraid they are hurting my health and getting on the food, from the air,” said Preciliano Gonzaga, a janitor at the Safeway store on Broadway in North Oakland.
The demonstration comes as Safeway’s plans to expand its two stores in North Oakland’s Rockridge neighborhood are facing opposition from community stakeholders concerned about potential negative impacts on public safety and the environment.
“If Safeway wants to expand its stores in our community, they must take meaningful steps to protect the health and safety of workers, customers, and the environment,” said Denise Solis, SEIU Local 1877 Northern California Vice President. “It’s time for Safeway to drop toxic cleaning chemicals and adopt Green Cleaning standards.”
Thursday, January 21, 2010
• 12:00 – 12:45pm: Safeway, 6310 College Avenue, (intersection of Claremont Avenue and College Avenue), Oakland, CA
• 12:45 – 1:30pm: Safeway, 5130 Broadway (in shopping center on the corner of Broadway and Pleasant Valley Road), Oakland, CA