Message to the Grass Roots: Justice for Janitors and All Working People

An episode of Message to the Grass Roots, a cable access talk show produced & hosted by Michael Zinzun from 1988-1998 at Pasadena Community Access Corporation, which is now Pasadena Media . This program is “Justice for Janitors and All Working people,” July 17, 1990; guests discussed labor issues, especially recent hostilities against union organizing in the worksplace.

00:00Copy video clip URL Color bars. 

00:59Copy video clip URL Title Screen: “Message to the Grassroots with Michael Zinzun: Justice for Janitors and All Working People” Guests: “Alberto Mejia and Jono Schaffer.” He asks the two guests to explain the missions and purposes of their organizations.

3:28Copy video clip URL Schaffer describes Justice for Janitors and gives the history of the union. They speak about anti-union attitudes and legislation.

10:28Copy video clip URL Alberto Mejia addresses the issue of recent immigrants and organizing. They continue to talk about what can make organizing successful and exciting. They speak about workers pride, and then return to strategies for success. They give advice to workers. 

31:05Copy video clip URL Break. Commercials.

33:36Copy video clip URL The show returns. Mejia speaks about a Latino janitors victory in LA. They play a clip of a Janitors for Justice demonstration in California, where although the march had been approved, police stopped activists from marching into Century City. A man describes police officers violently attempting to stop the peaceful demonstration.

37:00Copy video clip URL Zinzun describes the importance of linking immigrants and resident working people. 

49:30Copy video clip URL They speak about the reasons that the police acted the way that they did. They try to give listeners advice for finding unions, including information on how to contact the SEIU. Mejia gives a similar message in Spanish. Credits. 

1:00:05Copy video clip URL Tape ends.