Contract Ratified!

Boston, Mass. (September 8, 2007) – Officials from Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 615 have announced that their members have ratified a new contract between janitors and the Maintenance Contractors of New England for a new contract that will transform the lives of thousands of New England families. The contract will affect nearly 12,000 janitors who are working in buildings throughout Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire.

“This contract, which is our strongest ever, will dramatically improves the lives of close to 12,000 workers,” said Rocio Saenz, president of SEIU Local 615. “It will help move hardworking men and women out of poverty and into the middle class. Additionally, it will help create a system whereby workers are sharing in the gains that the real estate industry in New England has made in the past several years. It is an important step in creating a New England that works for everyone.”

Key provisions over the 5 year contract include

• A 23% wage increase in Boston and 25% in the suburbs of Massachusetts and Providence, to a top wage of over $16 an hour in Boston;
• 20 % of the entire Massachusetts and Rhode Island market will move from part-time to full-time work and be provided fully paid family health insurance;
• All other full-time workers in all locations will received fully paid individual health insurance;
• An increase of minimum hours so that thousands of part-time janitors have an additional 7 ½ hours of work each week;
• Janitors will have 6 sick days at the end of this agreement;
• SEIU Local 615 won a recognition process for janitors in New Hampshire and for outside Providence Rhode Island;
• Employers will pay into a training and education fund for English classes, computer classes and other skills training.

The economic impact on communities will be significant with an estimated direct annual increase of over $25 million a year into the communities in increase which janitors live and over $60 million annual impact including its broader economic benefits.

“For all the women and men who clean bathrooms and pick up trash, we now have our dignity,” said Margarita Restrepo, a member of the bargaining committee. “This contract shows that the work that we do should be respected. The agreement is an important step in achieving a New England that works for everyone.”