As seen on NorthJersey.com.

The union representing 7,000 janitors, office cleaners and other commercial service property workers in New Jersey began contract talks Monday with the companies that employ them.

The union's three-year contract expires Jan. 1.

The union, Local 32BJ, presented its proposals to representatives of maintenance companies at the union's office in Newark. The union proposals call for a wage increase, expanded health-care coverage and the creation of more full-time jobs. The union would not reveal to the press Monday how much of a wage increase it was seeking.

Union leaders said its members deserve to benefit from the healthy market for office space in New Jersey. "With the [office] real estate industry prospering, New Jersey cleaners deserve their piece of the pie," said Kevin Brown, Local 32BJ New Jersey director, in a statement.

According to data provided by commercial real estate brokerage Colliers Houston in September, the vacancy rate for office space in North Jersey has increased to 12.3 percent from 12 percent in the spring. Average asking rental rates have edged up to $26.37 a square foot, from $26.31.

The union cited healthy demand for office space and commercial rent increases as reasons workers want more in this contract. While the New Jersey office maintenance companies don't have a trade association that negotiates for the group, the individual companies usually function as a committee to reach a common agreement with the union, a union spokeswoman said. The union represents workers at about 50 property-service companies. Twenty-two were at Monday's meeting. Representatives from the maintenance companies could not be reached for comment.

New Jersey is one of six Local 32BJ districts that will be negotiating new contracts this fall. The pacts cover 50,000 commercial property workers on the East Coast. The last strike by the union was in 2001, when 800 workers went on strike for a week during negotiations for the union's first contract.

Local 32BJ introduced the first statewide Master Agreement for commercial cleaners in New Jersey in 2001. Since then, union membership has grown to 7,000 workers from 1,200. The workers represented are employed at 450 office buildings and other commercial facilities in New Jersey.