Study Released Revealing Startling Data on Lower Life Expectancy Even in Upper Income Communities

On Thursday, April 5, 2012, over 200 union janitors, religious leaders and community members will be gathering at Good Samaritan Episcopal Church, where members of San Diego’s religious community will be washing the feet of our hardworking janitors to draw attention to the impact of inequality of health for both working class and middle class families.

The janitors’ union, SEIU United Service Workers West (USWW), as part of their statewide campaign for a new contract expiring in 2012, released a study that demonstrates that with a better health care system people in middle-class families could live four years longer, and people would live five years longer.

Income inequality has taken center stage in the national discussion since the rise of the Occupy Movement. This second study in the “How Much is The 1% Holding Back Your Family?” series argues that the longer life expectancy of the extreme rich suggests that we can create a healthier California where everyone lives longer and more prosperous lives.

The foot-washing ceremony, which will take place at Good Samaritan Episcopal Church, is a traditional ritual for the holy season and is intended to sway the hearts of building owners and managers to negotiate a contract that includes health coverage for workers and their families. Through the Interfaith Committee for Workers Justice in San Diego, Ministers, Priests, Rabbis, Imams and people of faith will participate in solidarity with workers and their families.

 WHAT: Janitors, Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice, Religious Leaders and Community Members.

 WHEN: Thursday, April 5, 2012 at 12:00PM

 WHERE: Good Samaritan Episcopal Church – 4321 Eastgate Mall, San Diego, CA 92121

 WHO: Over 100 Union Janitors and 100 Religious Leaders and Community Members

 SEIU United Service Workers West represents more than 40,000 janitors, security officers, airport service workers, and other property service workers across California. SEIU is the largest and fastest growing union in North America, with more than 2 million members.