Janitors in Chicago clean the buildings and office space of some of the richest companies in the world. According to SEIU reporting, these corporations are making huge profits, but the janitors' wages haven't increased in real dollars in more than a decade. As a result, janitors voted on March 31 to give their bargaining committee the power to call a strike.

The vote was held at the union hall and resulted in a strong "yes." Janitors are ready to do whatever it takes to win better jobs for their families and communities.

Contracts for 13,000 janitors in Chicago expire on April 8. Until this time, the janitors will bargain with BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association) for livable wages and critical benefits for their families. These janitors are struggling to get by on an annual income that is $20,000 below the cost of living for a family in Chicago.


According to SEIU, the strong "yes" vote to authorize the bargaining committee to call a strike comes as our country is in the midst of massive public protest over the disappearing middle class and increasing income inequality between the richest 1% and the other 99% of the country. While the U.S. economy has grown by more than 80% in the past 30 years, a majority of those gains in wealth have gone to the richest Americans while income for 95 percent of American households has either stayed the same or fallen.

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