Cleaning crews in many of the state’s largest corporate buildings could be going on strike. Members of the Service Employees International Union, 32BJ, have voted unanimously to strike if a new contract agreement is not met by year’s end.
Drawing attention to the possible strike, cleaning crews, represented by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 32BJ, rallied in Hartford Tuesday. They gathered at the Old State House and marched to the Boat Building.
They are protesting how current contract negotiations are going. The union argues that its members should be rewarded with a wage increase because of the risks they took during the pandemic.
“Nothing on the table right now, honors the sacrifice our members have made,” union Vice President Rochelle Palache, who leads 32BJ in Connecticut. “We cannot allow them to balance their books on our backs.”
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The union represents about 1,600 Hartford and New Haven County cleaning professionals. Union crews clean some of the area’s largest office buildings – including The Hartford and Travelers insurance companies, the Gold Building, Pratt & Whitney and the State Capitol. Anna Karwowski works at UConn Health in Farmington.
“We have to pick up the trash. We have to make sure the floors are clean. We have to make sure that everything is disinfected,” said Karwowski, describing her daily work routine.
Karwowski is one of the workers who said the current pay structure is not keeping up with inflation.
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“Personally, I have to think about which store to go to for my grocery shopping because it’s so expensive,” Karwowski said.
According to SEIU 32BJ’s most recent agreement with the Connecticut Cleaning Contractor’s Association, the minimum wage ranges from $16.20 to $22.73 per hour. That depends on job function and location.
That agreement expires Dec. 31 and if new terms are not reached, these workers say they are willing to strike any time after Jan. 2.
“We are so ready to fight for what we deserve,” Karwowski said.
The union vice president said they are committed and confident.
“We are quite prepared to go on strike and we will win,” Palache said.
While the contract is set to expire at season’s end, the last day of scheduled negotiations is Wednesday.
NBC Connecticut reached out to the Connecticut Cleaning Contractor’s Association but did not hear back.
