Downtown Janitors Secure Wage Increases
Wages were a top priority when contract negotiations began in June.
Mayor Cavalier Johnson speaks at rally for Downtown janitors’ union. Photo taken June 11, 2024 by Graham Kilmer.
After less than two months of negotiations, SEIU Wisconsin secured a new three-year contract and wage increases for Downtown janitorial workers.
Workers voted on the contract in mid-July, ratifying a new labor agreement with a handful of janitorial companies with contracts in buildings throughout Downtown. The new contract includes increases in hourly wages and total compensation over the next three years, which was a major issue for the union going into negotiations.
Downtown janitors, many of whom are immigrant and Latino workers, received pay raises during the COVID-19 pandemic and union leaders said their pay was at risk of being lowered back down to pre-pandemic rates.
The union released a public statement trumpeting the new contract as a “significant victory” Monday, after “four days of intense negotiations” in June and the early part of July.
“This contract is a testament to the power of solidarity and collective action,” said Jeryllyn Jeanes, a janitor with SEIU Wisconsin and one of the original organizers of the union. “We stood firm, demonstrated our unity, and won a contract that recognizes our hard work and dedication. This victory not only improves the lives of us Janitors, but also sets a precedent for future negotiations.”
Workers will also see increased employee contributions to retirement and healthcare plans, as well as more time off and new organizing rights agreed to by management. Specifically, the union secured the right to organize janitorial workers in Madison, according to SEIU.
The union kicked off its collective bargaining with a rally in early June, where workers prepared for negotiations with a public showing of solidarity and also put their political backing on display.
The union was joined by Mayor Cavalier Johnson and a handful of other local elected officials. Johnson told the workers he and many others were behind them as they went into bargaining. Christine Neumann-Ortiz, executive director of Voces de la Frontera, also pledged her organizations resources if the union needed them.
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