After a nearly a year-and-a-half of frontline custodial work amid the pandemic, members of the Service Employees International Union Local 49 negotiated new terms with several management companies in the Portland area, reports Public News Service.

The terms, which apply to over 2,000 employees, include the following adjustments:

• Average hourly wage increase from $15.75 to $18 by July 2023

• A fund for education and green cleaning training — including programs that teach energy conservation in facilities

• Improved protections on immigration leave

• Improved healthcare benefit protections

For more feel-good content, check out our ongoing Faces of the Frontline series honoring notable custodians.