Commercial janitors walked off the job Thursday and formed a picket line in downtown Minneapolis as part of a push for higher wages and better benefits in their contracts.
More than 100 janitors represented by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 26 rallied along Nicollet Mall, waving signs and beating drums outside the skyscrapers they clean each day. They were joined by a separate group of youth climate strikers who marched in solidarity.
The union, which represents 4,000 janitors who clean Twin Cities commercial buildings, organized the daylong strike before its next bargaining session on Friday. Members are also pushing for paid sick days and a program to expand the use of nontoxic cleaning chemicals, among other things.
"We are fighting today for a better tomorrow," said union Vice President Elia Starkweather, who has cleaned Ameriprise Financial headquarters in downtown Minneapolis for nine years. "We are human beings. We clean garbage, but we are not garbage."
Local 26 represents commercial janitors throughout the seven-county metro, including those who clean the IDS Center, Capella Tower, the Ecolab building, and the Wells Fargo and U.S. Bank buildings in both Minneapolis and St. Paul.
For the past four months, Local 26 has been negotiating with 18 companies, most of which are part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul Contract Cleaners Association.
Attorney John Nesse, who represents the Cleaners Association in contract negotiations, said the employers are disappointed the union called a strike. He said the association is ready to get back to the bargaining table, with three more sessions scheduled for next week.
"We remain far apart on a number of different items," Nesse said. "At the same time, we are hopeful that we'll make significant progress over the … next week of negotiations."
The two sides have sat for 13 bargaining sessions so far and still are not close to an agreement, said union President Iris Altamirano.
Members hope the companies will realize their workers are asking for "very reasonable things," Altamirano said. She pointed to the strength of the economy as reason to give janitors a better contract.
"Companies and the clients are making record profits right now," Altamirano said. "Now is the time to do good by the workers."
Janitors will continue their strike at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on Friday morning, according to Altamirano.
