April 11--Almost 10,000 janitors who clean commercial offices and other buildings have approved a new contract, but those who clean Chicago Public Schools and other publicly funded facilities are still without one.
Members of Chicagoland Service Employees International Union Local 1 voted to ratify a three-year contract with the Building Owners and Managers Association that promises to narrow the wage gap between city and suburban janitors.
The contract, retroactive to April 6, secures annual wage increases and fully employer-paid health care for nearly 10,000 janitors. It also outlines steps to slowly close the wage gap between Chicago janitors, who earn an average of $15.46 per hour, and suburban janitors, who average $12.90 an hour, the union said.
The previous contract expired April 5.
Still unresolved are contract talks between about 2,000 janitors and cleaning contractors at Chicago Public Schools and other publicly funded facilities. Historically, CPS contractors have followed the standards set by the building owners group's union contract. "We don't think there will be an issue," union spokeswoman Izabela Miltko said.
Union janitors held a rally at Chicago Public Schools' headquarters two weeks ago calling on cleaning contractor Aramark to reinstate janitors' hours. Aramark last fall laid off nearly 300 janitors who cleaned schools and cut the hours of another 200 janitors to part time from full time, according to the union.
aelejalderuiz@tribpub.com
