Transforming the Lives of Thousands of New England Families

Officials from Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 615 have announced a tentative agreement 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 10,000 janitors who are working in buildings throughout Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire.

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 entire Massachusetts and Rhode Island market will move from part-time to full-time work and provide fully paid family health insurance; all other full-time workers in all locations will received fully paid individual health insurance; and an increase of minimum hours so that thousands of part-time janitors have an additional 7 ½ hours of work each week. The economic impact on communities will be significant with an estimated direct annual increase of over $25 million a year to the communities in which janitors live and over $60 million annual impact including its broader economic benefits.

While the agreement is tentative pending ratification of the Union’s members, the bargaining committee believes it accomplished the goals that members outlined, including increasing opportunities for full time work, access to more hours, access to family health insurance and decent wage increases.

“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.”