Janitors protest a day before renewed negotiations

Protesters sit in the intersection of Dallas and Smith Streets in protest of janitors' current wages Wednesday, August 1, 2012, in Houston. Civil rights and labor activists are currently demonstrating civil disobedience and supporting janitors who are entering their fourth week of an unfair labor practices strike. less Protesters sit in the intersection of Dallas and Smith Streets in protest of janitors' current wages Wednesday, August 1, 2012, in Houston. Civil rights and labor activists are currently demonstrating civil ... more Photo: Cody Duty, Houston Chronicle Photo: Cody Duty, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 12 Caption Close Janitors protest a day before renewed negotiations 1 / 12 Back to Gallery

About 150 Houston janitors were downtown Wednesday morning to protest wages, as a four-week strike comes to a boiling point on the eve of renewed bargaining talks.

The organizers of the protests said they expect there will be dozens of arrests by the end of the day. The morning protest is on Louisiana street downtown, where the janitors and their supporters are trying to be visible for the morning rush hour traffic. During this evening's rush hour, about 500 protesters are expected to rally in the Galleria area.

The bargaining will continue between the janitors and the Houston Area Contractors Association on Thursday. According to the protest's organizers, the Houston office cleaners are some of the lowest paid in the nation, with an average yearly salary of $9,000. The janitors, most of whom currently earn a top wage of $8.35 an hour, are seeking a raise to $10 an hour. About 475 janitors are on strike at about 50 buildings.

Paloma Martinez, a union spokeswoman, said by the end of the day, she believes 30 people could be in jail.

"It's all coming to a boiling point," Martinez said. "Janitors want to make a big statement. We are going to do whatever it takes. It's not about janitors anymore, it's about being the city we want to be."

Martinez, who was at the protest Wednesday morning, said the atmosphere is electric and that the workers and their supporters feel empowered.

"They are invisible when they are cleaning after hours at 6 p.m.," she said. "We are invisible no more out in the streets, you can't ignore us."

She said the issue demonstrates the widening gap between the rich and the poor.

"This state is doing well, but who is it doing well for? The people at the top," she said.

The second protest will be held at Williams Tower at 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, seven protesters who linked arms and sat down at the base of the escalator at One Allen Center were arrested by police, marking another effort at civil disobedience to protest the wages of striking janitors.

Four janitors from Chicago and three out-of-state labor activists were among those arrested as they protested in support of the striking janitors in Houston, said Renee Asher, assistant director of communications for the Service Employees International Union in Washington, D.C.

Other protests earlier this summer also led to multiple arrests after union supporters tied up traffic and blocked busy intersections.

The seven were charged with trespassing, a Class B misdemeanor, said Victor Senties, Houston Police Department spokesman. The protesters could face up to 180 days in jail.

The Houston Area Contractors Association represents three of the biggest cleaning firms - ABM Janitorial Services, GCA Services and ISS Facility Services - and has been acting as the negotiating lead. There are seven contracting firms in total.