Janitors Clean up with New Contracts

A New Year's strike by area janitors was averted late last week when 7,000 cleaners won new contracts with major wage increases and employer-paid health benefits. "These contracts provide tens of millions of dollars in wage gains and health benefits," said Jaime Contreras, Local 32BJ Capital Area Director. "For the first time, all cleaners will receive employer-paid prescription drug coverage, which prevents workers and their families from being at risk of costly illness." The four-year contracts cover 4,500 commercial cleaners in Washington, 1,500 cleaners in Montgomery County and 700 Baltimore cleaners. The Baltimore and Montgomery County agreements were reached just days before the contracts were set to expire, while the contract covering cleaners in Washington was settled months before its April 2008 expiration. Union members must still ratify the tentative agreements. "This pay raise will make a huge difference for me and my co-workers," said Francisco Romero, an ABM-employed cleaner in Rockville, MD. "And now I can finally afford to buy medicine when I get sick." Click here for more details.