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Calling on the Cintas Corporation, the largest uniform rental provider and industrial launderer in North America, to cease its pattern of unfair labor practices in opposition to efforts by their employees to unionize, and further, urging, Starbucks Coffee Company, a company with a stated mission and a record of high standards of corporate conduct, who has recently agreed to purchase services from Cintas, to use its managerial discretion to cease doing business with Cintas until Cintas abides by these same standards in the treatment of their employees.
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WHEREAS, Cintas is the largest uniform rental provider and industrial launderer in North America with 365 plants across the country, including Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, While Cintas management has reported its 33rd year of corporate growth with US sales in 2002 of $2.27 billion and profits of $234 million, its 17,000 employees have not shared in this success; and
WHEREAS, In the United States and Canada, Cintas uniforms and mats are being cleaned by employees who are working in deplorable conditions, and are struggling to raise families on poverty wages with inadequate benefits. Moreover, every day Cintas employees handle dirty uniforms, mats and linens, and are exposed to cleaning solvents that can be harmful to humans and the environment; and
WHEREAS, When employees of Cintas have tried to collectively organize to better their conditions the company has responded with intimidation tactics. Currently, there are 76 charges pending before the National Labor Relations Board for Cintas’ violations of its employees’ rights to organize and over 40 lawsuits have been filed against Cintas for racial, sex, age and disability discrimination. Cintas has also been found responsible for dumping chemical pollutants; and
WHEREAS, Starbucks Coffee Company with 3784 stores in North America, including Philadelphia, recently signed a contract for apron, mat and linen service with Cintas; and
WHEREAS, Starbucks in its Mission Statement has represented itself as a socially responsible corporation committed to its employees, the community and the environment. In addition to numerous awards for their dedication to environmental protection and to the improvement of the local communities in which they operate, Fortune Magazine for has recognized Starbucks as one of the 100 most worker-friendly companies in the US for four consecutive years; now therefore
RESOLVED, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby calls on the Cintas Corporation to cease its pattern of unfair labor practices in opposition to efforts by their employees to unionize, and also strongly urges the Starbucks Coffee Company, a company with a stated mission and a record of high standards of corporate conduct, who has recently agreed to purchase services from Cintas, to use its managerial discretion to cease doing business with Cintas until Cintas abides by these same standards in the treatment of their employees.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the CEO’s of Cintas and Starbucks as evidence of this legislative body’s strong commitment to fair labor conditions for all.
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