Salvadoran janitors in Houston, most of them from El Salvador and other parts of Latin America, are marching for better wages and benefits. They are asking for a path to $15 an hour in wages, full-time employment, and benefits for overnight workers. Janitorial work has been an important source of income for immigrants from El Salvador, with 51,300 Salvadorans working in these jobs in the United States. The Salvadoran community organizing in the U.S. traces back to the 1980s during the civil war in El Salvador. In Texas, Houston's janitors organized in the 2000s and won their first contract in 2006. Many Salvadoran janitors in Houston send money back to their families in El Salvador, contributing to the Salvadoran economy. In the last year, approximately $8.8 billion was sent from abroad to families in El Salvador. The working-class wages that Salvadoran janitors are fighting to increase not only improve their lives but also support the Salvadoran economy [5227bfae].
However, the economic struggles faced by immigrants in the US are highlighted in the story of Cristiàn Batista, a barber from the Dominican Republic, and his wife Teolina Gonzalez. They moved to the US to provide a better future for their children but have faced challenges in the US economy. Cristiàn's average weekly pay has fallen from $1000 to $550, making it difficult for them to meet their financial obligations, including their $2800 monthly rent. The couple has been nominated for the Wish Book program, which aims to help families in need during the holiday season. They hope to receive new phones, a computer for their children, and presents for Christmas. Cristiàn's two older children, who are hoping to enroll in university, are being supported by the couple. They are also receiving supplies from Cristiàn's mother in the Dominican Republic. However, the economic instability in their home country limits her support. The family is finding it more difficult to live in the US than they had anticipated [93cd447e].