The 7,000 janitors who clean Houston's office buildings are paid less than $6,000 a year and do not have access to affordable health care. Nearly the entire workforce is part-time and janitors report they are frequently exploited on the job. Like janitors in most major cities, nearly all Houston janitors are immigrants, working hard and paying taxes, but forced to live in poverty by their employers, most of which are national corporations.

More than 5,300 Houston janitors have chosen to form a union with SEIU and are currently negotiating with their employers to win just wages, affordable family health care, full time work, and better treatment on the job.