While negotiations for a new four-year union contract for over 9,000 commercial office cleaners in the D.C. area and Baltimore kicked off on June 22, 32BJ SEIU and the Washington Service Contractors Association remain at odds over the latter’s proposed cut to hours as the Oct. 15 deadline looms.
Despite benefitting from the cost savings of a reduction in workforce of 1,000 jobs in the D.C. area, the Association is pushing to cut five-hour shifts down to four, amounting to a 20% pay cut ($100 per week) for a one-third of the workforce (1100 workers), and forces them to do more work in less time.
“These men and women were considered essential during the pandemic, but the industry is treating them as if they’re disposable by trying to cut wages that don’t even keep up with inflation,” said Jaime Contreas, 32BJ executive vice president, who has helped the lead the “Justice for Janitors” movement as a student and part-time janitor at Bell Multicultural High School in Northwest. “Janitors sacrificed their health and lives keeping our downtowns and economy running and they are key to their recovery.”
Janitors presently earn hourly wages of $12.50 in Loudoun County, Virginia, $14 in Prince George’s County, $14.40 in Northern Virginia, $16.50 in Baltimore, $17 in Montgomery County and $17.95 in the District, with paid vacation, paid holidays and paid sick leave. Full-time employees have access to employer paid health insurance, as well as training, education, and a legal services fund.
Meanwhile, with high inflation and rents, actual earnings for janitors have flatlined with residential rent for a one-bedroom apartment increasing by four percent in the District between August 2022 and August 2023. The average rent in the District for a one-bedroom apartment is $2,556 a month, which comes out to nearly 80% of a 32BJ janitor’s annual wages in the city.
