Janitors rally to kick off contract campaign
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As bargaining gets underway, janitors affiliated with Service Employees International Union Local 6 marched May 29th from the corner of 5th Ave and Columbia St to demand respect on the job, to maintain affordable full family healthcare benefits, and to get a decent, middle-class standard of living.
The five-year contract that covers over 90% of Seattle's janitors expires on June 30 and janitors are beginning negotiations with their employers for another contract. Negotiations on Wednesday, May 28, resulted in movement on minor, non-economic issues only.
Negotiations in Seattle are paralleled by janitor negotiations at other SEIU locals up and down the coast. Silicon Valley and Oakland janitors in SEIU Local 1877 have been on strike since May 21.
Janitor and SEIU 6 member Don Boe said, "I have two young kids and a wife. The dental bills for the four of us just with basic cleaning costs $140 dollars at least per person without insurance. I don't know what we would do without our medical coverage."
"The Seattle area is one of the healthiest commercial real estate markets in the nation. Let's make sure that janitors can have affordable health care benefits and a living wage," said Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels.
The five-year contract that covers over 90% of Seattle's janitors expires on June 30 and janitors are beginning negotiations with their employers for another contract. Negotiations on Wednesday, May 28, resulted in movement on minor, non-economic issues only.
Negotiations in Seattle are paralleled by janitor negotiations at other SEIU locals up and down the coast. Silicon Valley and Oakland janitors in SEIU Local 1877 have been on strike since May 21.
Janitor and SEIU 6 member Don Boe said, "I have two young kids and a wife. The dental bills for the four of us just with basic cleaning costs $140 dollars at least per person without insurance. I don't know what we would do without our medical coverage."
"The Seattle area is one of the healthiest commercial real estate markets in the nation. Let's make sure that janitors can have affordable health care benefits and a living wage," said Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels.
