Strike vector

While the holidays mark a time of celebration and relaxation for some, such is not the case for thousands Hudson Valley region janitors in New York. As reported initially by the Rockland/Westchester Journal News, a strike was announced last week on Dec. 12 via public vote by over 10,000 members of the 32BJ SEIU union which represents the custodians. 

The union cited multiple issues as factors driving the decision too trike, including healthcare benefits covered by the employer, the inability to lay off workers without bargaining or notice, and the improvement of pay to keep up with the growing economic inflation in the area. Negotiations between building owners/commercial landlords and the custodial union have been ongoing since September of this year, but no agreement has been reached. Notable landlords in negotiation include Simon Property Group, Feil Organization, and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. 

Rush Perez, spokesperson for the 32BJ SEIU Union, notes that the scope of custodial services represented in the Hudson Valley region includes 132 commercial buildings, 52 million square feet of space and over 1,500 workers. If no agreement is met before the deadline of midnight on Dec. 31, union workers will strike. 

In related news, custodians contracted under Portland Public Schools are continuing to fight for a new and improved deal — citing the need for pay increases and better working conditions. Read more on that here.