Contract Floor Cleaners Swept Up In Wal-Mart Probe
On Oct. 23, federal agents raided dozens of Wal-Mart stores around the country, and arrested about 250 workers in 21 states who were believed to be in the country illegally. The raids focused on floor cleaners employed by contractors hired by the Bentonville, Ark.-based retailer. Neither Wal-Mart nor Immigration officials would reveal the names of the cleaning companies targeted in the probe. Ten of those arrested were in-house Wal-Mart employees. Some of the arrested workers have since been released, but most were detained, pending a hearing. They possibly could be deported.

Early reports stated Wal-Mart requires its contractors to employ only legal workers, but later on, immigration officials indicated some Wal-Mart executives knew what was going on. On Nov. 4, Wal-Mart announced it had been the recipient of a “target letter” from the U.S. Attorney’s office, indicating the world’s largest retailer might have violated immigration laws. Wal-Mart expects a grand jury to hear the case in December.

Later in November, nine workers who cleaned stores in New Jersey filed a racketeering suit against Wal-Mart, alleging the retailer conspired with its contractors to violate the civil and workplace rights of the cleaners. These workers maintain they were denied overtime pay despite working at least 56 hours a week; also, they allege contractors didn’t withhold taxes or pay workers’ compensation. The federal lawsuit seeks class-action status for perhaps thousands of workers, legal and illegal, who were hired by these contractors to clean Wal-Mart stores.

Wal-Mart is seeking to have the case dismissed, spokeswoman Mona Williams said in an Associated Press article.

"The Wal-Mart culture is based on respect for other people, and we would never condone treating anyone poorly, legal or otherwise. We want to get to the bottom of this and are as eager as anyone to see whatever evidence federal officials might have," she says.

Wal-Mart also is combing its own employment rolls, and plans to terminate any illegal workers, according to earlier news reports.

Building service contractors are responsible for ensuring their employees are able to work in the United States legally; employers who knowingly violate immigration laws can be subject to civil or criminal prosecution, fines or jail time.

Wal-Mart did not return a phone call seeking comment.

Keeping The Faith: Workplace Chaplains Provide Spiritual Help
As companies struggle to afford medical and dental insurance for their workers, more are paying attention to employees’ spiritual health. Corporate chaplains, similar to those found in military, prison and hospital settings, are uncommon, but growing more popular, according to a recent Orlando Sentinel article.

Dallas-based Marketplace Ministries, founded in 1984, supplies chaplains to hundreds of companies nationwide, with 1,200 part-time chaplains serving more than 250,000 employees. Similar success is reported by competitor Corporate Chaplains of America, founded in 1995. It has contracts with about 300 companies that employ more than 50,000 workers.

Workplace chaplains perform a variety of tasks, from providing a sympathetic ear for an employee going through a personal crisis, to making new workers feel at home, to providing appropriate references to outside agencies and mental-health services, both religious and secular. However, these chaplains must walk a fine line between assistance and evangelizing; otherwise, the companies that hire them could be accused of religious discrimination.

The National Institute of Business and Industrial Chaplains, for instance, requires its members to adhere to a code of ethics that includes refraining from imposing their beliefs on others (they are allowed to discuss their own faith when asked).

Costs for chaplain services vary based on company size and frequency of visits (weekly visits are the most common, according to Marketplace Ministries).

Mergers & Other Moves
• Mitch Murch’s Maintenance Management Co. (MMMM), St. Louis, has acquired Royal Services Inc., a contract-cleaning firm with operations throughout Florida. Royal’s current team will stay in place under the management of Chip Wilkening, CBSE, and its name will change to Royal Services, a Division of MMMM.

• Georgia-Pacific Corp., Atlanta, recently announced that it is exploring strategic alternatives for its building products distribution business, including a possible sale. The company is best known as a manufacturer of paper products.

Industry Accolades
• Mitchell Murch II, chairman of the board of Mitch Murch’s Maintenance Management Co., St. Louis, recently received the Missouri Tiger Pride Award at the Mizzou Alumni Association Banquet. Murch is a 1952 graduate of the University of Missouri at Columbia.

• Bay West, a division of Wausau-Mosinee Paper Corp. in Mosinee, Wis., has received Green Seal Certification for its EcoSoft™ towel and tissue products.

•  Coverall Cleaning Concepts recently received three awards.  The company was recognized for its impressive expansion by being named the thirteenth largest franchise chain by number of units by Franchise Times magazine. Also, Coverall was ranked as the fastest-growing commercial-cleaning company, and one of the best franchises to buy for under $25,000, in Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500®. Moreover, Black Enterprise magazine recently recognized Coverall as the third best home-based business for African Americans.

• Also in Coverall news, Melton Franchise Systems, operator of Coverall Cleaning Concepts of Mid-State California, was named one of the fastest-growing private companies in America by Inc. Magazine.

• The International Custodial Advisors Network named three products as Most Innovative at the ISSA/Interclean 2003 show in Chicago last month. The Tennant Co. took first place for its FaST™ Foam Activated Scrubbing Technology. Second Place was Unger Enterprises, Inc. for its Smart Color™ Restroom Cleaning System. In third place was Kaivac Inc. for its KaiTutor™ onboard interactive DVD training system.

• Tennant Co., Minneapolis, also recently announced it has received the "High-Traction" product certification from the National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI), a nonprofit industry organization dedicated to the prevention of slip-and-fall accidents. NFSI "High-Traction" product certification is akin to a stamp of approval for products that offer a slip-and-fall accident prevention benefit.

Association Briefs
•  Building Service Contractors Association International (BSCAI), Fairfax, Va., has announced that Brian Tracy will be the keynote speaker at its 39th Annual Convention and Trade Show. Tracy is a fast-moving speaker with expertise in personal and business success. The BSCAI show is March 22-26, 2004 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

• The International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA), Lincolnwood, Ill. recently held its annual show, ISSA/Interclean, in Chicago. In attendance were 654 exhibitors and 14,101 participants, including 652 building service contractors. .
Also at the show, ISSA discussed possibly expanding its membership to include BSCs and other service providers. The current membership is poised to vote on this change in 2004.




POSTED ON: 11/1/2003