Janitors in Houston win raise in tentative contract

Janitors who clean some of the largest office buildings in Houston have reached a tentative agreement with six of the city's largest cleaning companies, a union representative said late Wednesday.

The deal is expected to bring an end to a heated labor dispute that began after the janitors' last contract expired on May 31.

"We made progress here in Houston, and the janitors' victory brings hope to security officers, airport workers and others trapped by poverty wages," Tom Balanoff, president of Service Employees International Union, Local 1 in Chicago, which represents the 3,200 Houston janitors, said in a statement. "Our economy is broken, and unless we do something to turn low-wage jobs into good jobs, the middle class will be the great disappearing act of the 21st century."

The Houston Area Contractors Association, meanwhile, distributed to cleaning companies and affected building owners and tenants a notice that the tentative agreement would give the janitors a 25-cent-per-hour raise each year for the next four years.

Takes effect Jan. 1

The first raise, according to the notice, would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2013. That works out to a 2.9 percent first-year increase.

Most of the janitors who went on strike July 10 earn a top wage of $8.35 an hour. Under the terms of the proposed deal, the janitors would earn a top wage of $9.35 an hour in 2016. The janitors had been seeking $10 an hour.

Hours not increased

The agreement reportedly does not increase the number of work hours for janitors, who were negotiating to lengthen their workdays.

"We feel that the agreement reached is fair and in the best interests of our clients and our employees, which has been our goal all along," the notice from contractors said.

The group represents three of the biggest cleaning companies - ABM Janitorial Services, GCA Services and ISS Facility Services - and has been acting as the negotiating lead. There are seven contracting firms in total. The SEIU said it had also reached a tentative deal with Aztec, Eurest and UBM, and would continue bargaining with the remaining company, Pritchard, on Thursday.

Once the tentative agreement is completed, the janitors will vote on ratification.

lm.sixel@chron.com