Having scored some big wins downtown, the Justice for Janitors campaign initiated a second major campaign in Century City against the Danish-owned cleaning contractor ISS (International Services Systems), the largest cleaning contracting company in the world at the time. In May, janitors working for ISS in Century City unanimously voted to authorize a strike because, as one member described, “ISS’ greed leaves us no choice.” They also demonstrated their intentions to engage in non-violent civil disobedience during the strike by holding a public civil disobedience training in a plaza near their work sites.

Pictured here: Justice for Janitors picketers gather for a civil disobedience training before their massive march through Century City. These public training events signaled union members’ resolve and peaceful intentions to the wider community, as well as preparing members for potential confrontations with police.

From the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), United Service Workers West (USWW) records, circa 1935-2008 (LSC.1940)