HOUSTON (AP) — Demonstrators at a march in support of striking union janitors blocked a downtown Houston intersection, leading to 15 arrests.
The sit-down happened at the intersection of Smith and Bell streets about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday. The Houston Chronicle (http://bit.ly/M9PWw2) reports the group sat in a circle in the intersection, surrounded by 250 supporters wielding mops and thumping drums.
According to a list from the Service Employees International Union, fewer than half of those arrested were from Houston and none were janitors. However, they included the state director for SEIU Local q, Elsa Caballero.
The 3,200 Houston-area janitors represented by the SEIU have been escalating protests and spot strikes since their contract expired May 31. More than 475 janitors in 36 buildings are now on strike for improved wages and benefits.
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Information from: Houston Chronicle, http://www.houstonchronicle.com
