Court affirms that Cintas violated employee rights

CINCINNATI — The 8^th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently affirmed a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decision against JanSan service provider and uniform supplier Cintas Corporation, affirming that the company violated employee rights by cracking down on workers who showed union support, according to the Associated Press.

The federal complaint charged that Cintas violated restrictions against employer interference with workers' rights to organize, join or assist unions and breached prohibitions of discriminating against workers to discourage union membership, the story stated.

According to the story, the case is the latest round in several years of legal fights over efforts to unionize Cintas workers by the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees-Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union (UNITE-HERE).

Judge Diana E. Murphy, responding to a Cintas contention that UNITE-HERE's campaign was unlawful and unprotected activity, said: "We have been unable to find a reported case in which an employer has sought to use a union's national campaign as a defense to unfair labor practice charges involving individual employee activity."

The NLRB found that Cintas used unfair labor practices when it warned employees against wearing pro-union stickers and hats and confiscated pro-union fliers from a break room in Charlotte, the story noted.

Cintas has been told to remove any references to disciplinary action for wearing pro-union material from company files, to stop interfering with employee rights and to post explanations of the NLRB decision at its Charlotte and Branford, Connecticut, facilities, the story added.

To read the entire NLRB decision, click here.

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Janitor terminated after assaulting a student

STRUTHERS, OH — The Struthers City School District Board of Education recently voted unanimously to fire a Struthers High School janitor accused of assaulting a student, according to the Vindicator.

Jennifer Lucansky's dismissal stems from a November 16 incident where she walked into a classroom, grabbed a 17-year-old girl by the back of the neck and told her: "Stop writing your name on the [expletive] white boards," the story stated.

According to a report, Lucansky, who has been with the Struthers City School District for 17 years, left the room and continued with her janitorial duties after the outburst.

Lucansky has had "a series of prior reprimands and unpaid suspensions for misconduct," but Struthers City School District Superintendent Robert Rostan said there were no episodes "of this type" with students before, the story noted.

Lucansky, who faces criminal charges of assault and menacing — both misdemeanors — and has a preliminary hearing in Struthers Municipal Court set for May 7, was on paid leave until her termination, the story added.

According to Ron Blatt, field representative for the Ohio Association of Public School Employees, Lucansky will file a grievance against the Struthers City School District.

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Norovirus outbreak sickens hundreds

STATEN ISLAND, NY — About 250 students from Public School 3 stayed home from school yesterday after becoming ill with norovirus, a highly contagious gastrointestinal disease whose eradication requires extensive cleaning of surfaces, according to the Staten Island Advance.

Many students began vomiting and exhibiting other signs of norovirus while in class on Friday, prompting many to go home, the story stated.

Margie Feinberg, a U.S. Department of Education spokeswoman, said: "During the winter months, a virus called norovirus spreads easily among school children, causing vomiting and diarrhea. Most people get better in 1 to 2 days."

In a letter sent home with students, parents and guardians were told that the virus can spread through surfaces, such as handrails and doorknobs, by sharing food with someone with the virus or by eating foods or drinking liquids that are contaminated, the story noted.

According to the story, some parents of healthy children said they planned to keep their children home for several days to avoid catching the virus from their classmates.

There have been no reports of a norovirus outbreak at any other local schools and it is believed to be contained to Public School 3 at this time, the story added.

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Graffiti abatement crews cause trepidation in taggers

VISALIA, CA — The city of Visalia's graffiti abatement crews have a goal of removing unsightly tags within 48 hours of being sprayed, an objective the part-time employees strive to meet, according to the Visalia Times-Delta.

Receiving over a dozen calls per day, the crews, part of the city of Visalia Parks and Recreation Department, work more than 1,000 hours per year logging cases and painting over the tags in two-man crews, the story stated.

Eliseo Martinez, a graffiti abatement crew member, said: "We have to get these [hot-line calls] done as quickly as possible. It's important to show the community we respond fast and care about the city. We try to get to graffiti around schools so the gangs don't recruit the kids as they walk home."

The city's Graffiti Abatement Program has a yearly budget of roughly $113,000, which provides equipment, supplies and salaries for the crew members who typically work from 7 a.m. to noon Monday through Saturday, the story noted.

According to the story, each site is photographed before and after it is cleaned and photos are handed over to the Visalia Police Department and archived for future use.

Abatement crews use darker colored paints to cover walls that have been tagged in order to discourage those who use red and blue paint, colors generally chosen by gangs, the story added.

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Study shows cleaners are more valuable than bankers

LONDON — A recent study by the New Economics Foundation, entitled "A Bit Rich," found that hospital cleaners and waste-recycling workers offer more worth to society than do bankers, advertising executives or tax advisors, according to a press release.

According to the release, the study looked at 'externalities,' the true consequences of economic activities, to "quantify the social, environmental and economic value that people's work produces, or in some cases the value that is undermined or destroyed."

Hospital cleaners alleviate the human and financial cost of hospital acquired infections (HAIs) and make a significant contribution to the wider social value created by healthcare; waste-recycling workers help cut carbon emissions significantly and contribute to the output of the recycling industry, the release stated.

According to the report: Hospital cleaners create more than £10 ($16.30) in value for every £1 ($1.63) they receive in pay; waste-recycling workers generate £12 ($19.56) for every £1 ($1.63) spent on their wages; bankers destroy £7 ($11.41) of value for every £1 ($1.63) they create; and advertising executives eradicate £11 ($17.93) from the economy for every £1 ($1.63) they are paid.

Andrew Large, chief executive of the Cleaning and Support Services Association, said: "It is widely accepted that the cleaning industry is a key factor in protecting patients from hospital acquired infections, but these findings demonstrate the additional economic value our industry creates. As stated in the report, this worth is not being transmitted to the pay or prestige of the cleaning industry. Our work is vital to the nation's health and well-being while adding unqualified value to the economy. We hope that the report's findings are recognized by business and government and that all workers are appropriately remunerated for the contribution they make."

According to Steve Wright, chairman of the British Cleaning Council, "Workers in the waste-management sector deserve recognition for their role in increasing recycling so dramatically in the United Kingdom in recent years, as they have overseen the substantial reduction in the landfill waste which has been so damaging to the environment.

CRDN named '#1 Franchise' by Entrepreneur magazine

BERKLEY, MI — The Certified Restoration Drycleaning Network (CRDN) was recently named the "#1 Franchise in the Dry Cleaning & Delivery Services" category of Entrepreneur magazine's 31^st Annual Franchise 500, according to a press release.

With an overall ranking of 237 for 2009, up from 319 last year, CRDN has achieved its fourth consecutive award from Entrepreneur, which recognizes growth-oriented franchises each year based on objective, quantifiable measurements like financial strength and stability and growth rate, the release stated.

Wayne Wudyka, the CRDN's founder and chief executive officer (CEO), said: "During a challenging economic time that has taken its toll on retail drycleaning, CRDN's focus on insurance restoration services has enabled our members to realize meaningful business growth from coast to coast. CRDN's success has resulted from ongoing education of the insurance industry about the cost-effectiveness of restoring damaged textiles instead of replacing them."

Launched in 2001, the CRDN specializes in restoring garments and other fabric items damaged by smoke, fire, water, mold or other contaminants, the release added.

Click here to read the complete release.

Trojan Battery expands its distribution

SANTA FE SPRINGS, CA — Trojan Battery Company recently announced that Northeast Battery, a longtime master distributor of Trojan products, will expand its distribution into the states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia, according to a press release.

Northeast Battery offers a full line of products including starting, lighting and ignition products, stationary power systems for telecommunications and uninterruptible power supplies and high-end motive power batteries, the release stated.

Tom Scarduzio, president of Northeast Battery, said: "We are excited for this opportunity to expand our distribution of Trojan Battery products. Northeast Battery provides only the finest, highest quality products and services to our customers, and with Trojan products, we can proudly say that's what we have done for the past 25 years and will continue to do for many more years to come."

Both companies expressed excitement from this partnership that will provide increased service and support for customers, the release noted.