SEIU Local 1 Janitors Urge Sherwin-Williams to Choose Cleveland’s Working Families Over Profit

CLEVELAND - Supported by representatives of the North Shore Federation of Labor AFL-CIO, SEIU Local 1 janitors and community allies held a press conference Thursday morning outside Sherwin-Williams’ Headquarters in an effort to save their long term jobs. They are urging Sherwin-Williams to uphold their commitment of being a community pillar to all the hardworking families in Cleveland.

“Cleaning Sherwin-Williams has allowed me to take care of my 32-year-old daughter who suffers a mental disability and the company’s action puts me in a financial crisis, making it more difficult for me to pay my bills on time, pay rent and make ends meet.” said Local 1 Janitor, Terry Eddy, “I am heartbroken that after many years, our hardwork is being ripped away from us.”

While Sherwin-Williams is worth billions of dollars, the janitors who clean its headquarters and are directly employed by a union janitorial contractor have kept this company clean for combined decades. Sherwin-Williams is set to terminate their jobs at the end of the month.  The company has the resources, power and responsibility to empower its janitors and create a positive and uplifting change to its Cleveland Community, where it is headquartered.

“Sherwin-Williams is about to have a new transformation, and we are simply asking the company to not leave the janitors behind.” said Dan O’Malley, North Shore Federation of Labor AFL-CIO representative. “Sherwin-Williams has millions of dollars, and we just want to make sure the janitors that clean its headquarters continue to have dignity on the job.”

Janitors are working together, alongside labor and community leaders in order to save their jobs at Sherwin-Williams, a company that has been a leader for more than a century. Sherwin-Williams has been Cleveland’s economy pillar for years and it can continue to be so, by doing what’s right for hardworking Clevelanders. Together SEIU Local 1 janitors are fighting for “One Cleveland” — a city that works for all of us—whether white, Black or brown—and not just a certain wealthy few.