Downtown Wilmington

After a series of concerted efforts — which included a protest march through the streets of downtown Wilmington back in November — nearly 600 union custodians in Delaware were able to secure pay increases and job protection conditions under a new four-year contract with the association of contractors hiring them. 

As reported by Delaware Business Times, the deal includes a 20 percent pay increase by the end of the contract duration, the assurance of health benefits for part-time and full-time employees without the need for contribution, the addition of Juneteenth as a paid holiday, and the improvement of rights for pregnant employees. The deal was secured by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 32BJ. 

The deal, which was struck on Dec. 9, also applies to 1,400 additional workers in the suburban Philadelphia area. Under the previous deal, the custodians were earning hourly wages of $14.80 and $15 respectively in New Castle County and Wilmington. Only full-time employees were granted health insurance access. Had a new deal not been reached by New Years Eve, the union had plans to strike. 

In related news, custodians contracted to clean the Anheuser Busch Brewer and Corporate Center in St. Louis also recently secured an improved contract. Read more on that here.