(4,000) Twin Cities janitors declare victory in campaign for ‘good jobs, green future’

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Workday Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS - Several major cleaning companies and the union representing more than 4,000 Twin Cities janitors reached a contract settlement Sunday – narrowly avoiding a strike. The tentative agreement supports the use of environmentally friendly cleaning products and transitions to day shift cleaning, the union said.

Service Employees International Union Local 26 announced the tentative agreement at a news conference Monday in Minneapolis City Hall that also was attended by supporters including Congressman Keith Ellison.

Janitors who clean the majority of commercial buildings in the Twin Cities had been prepared to walk off the job at 4 a.m. Monday.

"Because of that commitment to put it all on the line, we were able to reach a settlement with our employers,” said Local 26 President Javier Morillo-Alicea. He said the tentative agreement was reached in the early hours of Sunday morning after a marathon bargaining session of some 26 hours with the Minneapolis–Saint Paul Contract Cleaners Association – including ABM, FBG, Harvard, Mid-City, and Triangle.


Twin Cities janitors cheer the contract settlement in front of the "Father of Waters" statue in Minneapolis City Hall.

Photo by Steve Share
View more photos at the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation Facebook site: http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?article_1_240

Read more: http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?news_6_4385

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FULL story at link.

For more information, see the Workday special section on the “Good Jobs, Green Future” campaign: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=159287&id=274718251291&l=2484d32a01

[Jefferson23]

1. I love good news, WELL DONE people!!! K&R