The following statement on the passing of Mayor Thomas Menino can be attributed to Roxana Rivera Director of 32BJ SEIU District 615, representing 18,000 property service workers in the Boston area.

“We mourn the passing of Mayor Thomas Menino, who leaves behind him a legacy of unflinching support for working people of all backgrounds. As a Mayor and as a workers’ advocate, Menino was instrumental in the 2002 Justice for Janitors victory that, for the first time in the history of our city, elevated working standards for thousands of Boston cleaners who for years fought hard to demand dignity and respect. He will be greatly missed by our union brothers and sisters and by all the residents of Boston.”

With more than 145,000 members in 11 states and Washington DC, including 18,000 members in the Boston Area, 32BJ is the largest property service workers union in the country.