Office Cleaners Strike Averted, Tentative Agreement Reached

The new year won't be starting with a strike by 22,000 New York City office cleaners. Their union, Local 32BJ, and the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations announced Friday night that a tentative agreement had been reached.

“The new contract is not just an important victory for office cleaners and their families, but for our economy and our city,” said Hector Figueroa, Secretary-Treasurer of 32BJ. “In these tough times the workers who keep New York City’s corporate offices and landmark buildings clean and well maintained have stood up for the good middle class jobs our economy and our city needs.”

The four year agreement provides an almost 5.6 percent wage increase over the live of the contract. Other details of the agreement were not readily available.

A message on the website of the Realty Advisory Board, who represented management, stated that it had "tentatively reached an agreement with SEIU Local 32B for a renewal of the contract that expires on December 31, 2011. The tentative agreement is subject to ratification by the Board of Directors of the Realty Advisory Board and the membership of the Union. Details of the agreement will be provided after ratification."

The two sides had been meeting since Wednesday to try and avoid a strike that would have effected 1,500 office buildings in New York City. 

The union had said it wanted a modest cost of living increase and to maintain benefits. The union also did not want a two-tier wage structure, where new hires would be paid less than current workers, implemented. The union had said the average salary for its members was $47,000. The Realty Advisory Board said workers earn over $47,000, and cost management $76,721, including benefits.