Janitors Representing over 4,000 Workers Call for Full-Time Green Jobs, Better Health Insurance

MINNEAPOLIS - Joined by U.S. Representative Keith Ellison and dozens of elected, environmental, labor, and community supporters, hundreds of janitors - representing their over 4,000 co-workers who clean major office buildings throughout the Twin Cities - voted overwhelmingly today to authorize their bargaining committee to call a strike over unfair labor practices, if necessary. The affirmative vote means that the janitors who clean the vast majority of commercial office buildings and corporate headquarters in the Twin Cities region could walk off the job at any time.

No one ever wants to go on strike, and we've worked hard to avoid that, but we are also ready to move forward," said Chico Coleman a janitor at Securian in Saint Paul and a member of the janitors' bargaining team. "We want to make green cleaning the norm in the Twin Cities, and make sure that our jobs are full-time green jobs with good health care for our families."

In two months of negotiations, cleaning contractors have repeatedly rejected green cleaning proposals to use only products with green chemicals that are safer for workers, tenants, and the environment; and to support transitions to day shift cleaning that could save building owners millions in energy costs and reduce the carbon footprint of hundreds of buildings.

"With our economy in a recession, we sought specific ways for the janitorial industry to save money and achieve cost predictability so that it could be a win-win for everyone," said Javier Morillo-Alicea, President of SEIU Local 26. "We want to encourage and support buildings that choose to switch to day shift cleaning since it can reduce energy use by up to 8%, and we have proposed a common health insurance plan with 0% cost increases and stable premium rates for janitors and employers. Unfortunately, the companies have responded by demanding the elimination of full-time jobs, bargaining in bad faith, and retaliating against union members."

Despite working at office properties of profitable Fortune 500 companies like US Bancorp, Ameriprise, Target, and Medtronic, as well as other multi-million dollar office properties, many full-time janitors have had their income cut by as much as 25% in recent years through a reduction in hours, and have inadequate health insurance coverage that has left many with thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs.

"I've had my nightly hours cut back in the last year, and many others have had their hours cut even more" said Maribel Quiroz, a janitor at Normandale Lake Office Park. "I ended up losing my house - no one can afford to lose so much of their income."

More than 4,000 janitors who clean the majority of commercial office buildings in the Twin Cities for companies including ABM, Harvard, and Marsden have been working without a contract since January 8.

SEIU Local 26 is Minnesota's Property Services Union, representing over 5,000 janitors, security officers, and window cleaners, and is a powerful voice for all of Minnesota's working families. For more information, go to www.seiu26.org

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