With a unanimous 100% yes vote, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 105 janitors who clean and maintain buildings across the Denver metro area have voted to authorize a strike if an agreement is not reached with the largest cleaning companies in Colorado by the time their contract expires on July 28th.
“We’re ready to fight for our families and our communities,” said Eva Martínez, janitor for the last 30 years working at Republic Plaza for the cleaning company CCS, “Denver depends on us, and we need livable wages, safe workplaces, and fair workloads. A strike is the last thing any of us want, but when billion-dollar cleaning companies give us an offer that would barely meet the minimum wage, we have no choice but to take action for our families. We hope to reach a fair agreement before the 28th, but if not, we’re united and ready to strike.”
The ongoing contract negotiations affect over 2,000 janitors, 90% of whom are Latina immigrant women from across the metro area employed by 17 cleaning contractors covering over 1500 buildings. The janitors are united under one “Master Contract” that is bargained between them and all of their employers. Similar negotiations have already taken place in several cities across the United States, including Houston, Minneapolis, and Seattle, where janitors have already reached agreements.
Negotiations with the cleaning contractors will continue until the janitors’ current contract expires, at which point, the janitors may call a strike at any time.
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