Janitors end strike by signing new contracts

SEIU (Service Employees International Union) member SIxta Gonzalez celebrates after union members ratified a new four-year contract. It will gradually raise wages from $8.35 to $9.35 an hour for most workers. SEIU (Service Employees International Union) member SIxta Gonzalez celebrates after union members ratified a new four-year contract. It will gradually raise wages from $8.35 to $9.35 an hour for most workers. Photo: James Nielsen Photo: James Nielsen Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Janitors end strike by signing new contracts 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

After weeks of striking and demonstrating, Houston janitors unanimously voted Saturday to ratify a contract that would increase some members' wages by $1 over a four-year period.

About 400 janitors with the Service Employees International Union supported a contract negotiated with six of the seven companies that employ the union janitorsThe contract will gradually increase workers' pay from $8.35 an hour to $9.35 an hour. The previous contract ended on May 31.

SEUI spokeswoman Paloma Martinez said the contract was a fair solution for both the union and the cleaning companies

"This is a huge victory," she said.

Sixta Gonzalez, 67, said she voted for the contract because workers deserved to keep their benefits. "Every time we go into a nice place, the floors shine, but no one ever asks who waxes them," she said.

Maria Lopez, 41,said she voted in favor of the contract to help raise minimum salaries across the city. "The salaries here in Houston are miserable," she said.

While the ratified contact gives most of the workers a raise, some janitors may not benefit and could even earn less. Janitors who work in buildings of less than 200,000 square feet can expect to earn $7.25 an hour.

Adriana Vasquez, an SEIU representative who helped to negotiate the deal, said the majority of the 3,2000 workers will benefit from the new contract.

"I didn't want any one of them to be left out," she said.

Vasquez said the negotiations did not allow for all workers to benefit because of the cleaning companies' inflexibility.

"I tried to put myself in everyone's shoes," she said.

Eligible workers in buildings with less than 200,000 square feet could gradually move to larger buildings over time, she said.

mayra.cruz@chron.com