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Twin Cities janitors win employer-funded retirement in tentative agreement • Minnesota Reformer [1]

['Max Nesterak', 'More From Author', '- March']

Date: 2024-03

The union representing more than 4,000 janitors who clean corporate office highrises and scores of other buildings across the Twin Cities metro announced a “historic” tentative agreement on Saturday with about 20 employers.

The employers and SEIU Local 26 reached the agreement at 4 a.m. after 20 hours of bargaining. The deal includes the union’s core priority: a fully employer-funded retirement fund for workers.

Under the agreement, which must be ratified by union members, workers will see their wages rise immediately to $20 an hour, with additional 17% raises over the course of the four-year contract. And the deal includes life insurance for the first time, more sick days, lowered health care costs, and employers paying the entire share of paid family and medical leave premiums when the statewide program begins in 2026.

“We are proud of how hard we fought and are going to be ready to come back in four years to keep winning more of what we deserve,” Mike Bartos, a janitor for Marsden who works in the Department of Human Services buildings, said in a statement.

The deal comes after thousands of janitors went on strike for three days earlier this week. The action was part of a coordinated series of labor protests by thousands of workers across the Twin Cities including a 24 hour strike by nearly 1,000 nursing home workers and rallies for non-union construction workers, teachers and airport workers.

This week saw two other unions settle contracts including the St. Paul Federation of Educators, which includes 3,700 teachers and hourly school workers, and LIUNA Local 363 members, which include more than 400 Minneapolis city public works employees.

About 2,000 security guards and 600 retail janitors who had authorized strikes reached tentative agreements with about 20% pay raises last month.

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[1] Url: https://minnesotareformer.com/briefs/twin-cities-janitors-win-employer-funded-retirement-in-tentative-agreement/

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