New York, NY – Yesterday, December 12, was the fourth bargaining session between the 32BJ SEIU bargaining committee representing NYC 20,000 commercial building workers and the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations Inc. (RAB) in negotiations for a new union contract. Less than three weeks before the contract expires on December 31, RAB proposals that would gut the existing labor contract – and make cleaners go out on strike – remain on the table. 

In response, 32BJ announced it continues its strike preparation plans.

Additionally, on December 20, the 32BJ elected bargaining committee will ask 32BJ membership for authorization to call an industry-wide strike if negotiations fail to secure a strong contract. The rally and strike authorization vote is expected to bring 10,000 32 BJ members into the streets of Manhattan.

RAB proposals include:

• Making members pay for their life-saving health insurance (healthcare premium sharing).
• A permanent second tier workforce that would lock in substandard wages and benefits for new hires.
• Unnecessary cuts to labor protections and fairness in the workplace that ignore how the existing contract already allows for reduction in the workforce when vacancies increase, as has been demonstrated over the last three years.
• Cuts to paid sick days and vacation.
• Eliminating overtime wages after 8 hours.

“We are in full blown strike preparations,” said 32BJ SEIU President Manny Pastreich. “The RAB has not taken off the table proposals that are clear strike issues for our members. Affordable quality healthcare should not be on the chopping block for essential workers. And we are not going to allow for the gutting of this incredibly important contract. There is no need for that. The lives and livelihood of essential workers is at stake and we will fight and strike if necessary to win a fair contract that moves our members forward – not backward – and reflects what they give this city every single day.”

“I’m a proud essential worker,” said 33-year commercial cleaner Rafael Ortega. “But people need to know it’s hard for us. Me and my family had to leave the Bronx and move to NJ, because the cost of living got too high in NYC. On top of my full-time job, I have to work a second part-time taxi job to survive. How am I supposed to afford healthcare premiums? We are just asking for fairness and a contract that allows us to live with dignity and provide for our families.”

“The rising cost of living forced me to take a part-time second job earlier this year, along with my full-time cleaning job. I work 13 hours per day, five days a week! But the RAB wants me to make more sacrifices?” said 15-year Manhattan commercial office cleaner Yenny Hernandez. “During the pandemic, I was laid off for two years. It was two years of uncertainty – I had to go to food banks in the Bronx. Thank God I have good health, because I lost my health insurance. After all we have been through over the past three years, these RAB proposals are insulting.”

Background:

Negotiations between 32BJ SEIU and RAB launched on November 9, when the 32BJ bargaining committee proposed fair wage increases, pension improvements, the maintenance of existing quality affordable health insurance, and extended recall rights for laid off members.

The changes proposed by the RAB would upend essential workers’ lives, making life untenable for thousands of working class families in the city. Single parents could be forced to move out of the city if forced to take on new healthcare expenses; workers would have to choose between their health and paying rent; grandparents could be forced to take on second jobs; workers already forced to work second jobs could face impossible choices.

Recent press releases: 

11/9: https://www.seiu32bj.org/press-release/nyc-rally-negotiation-launch/

11/28: https://www.seiu32bj.org/press-release/insulting-real-estate-industry-nyc/

11/30: https://www.seiu32bj.org/press-release/nyc-council-speaker-commercial-cleaners/ 

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With more than 175,000 members in 12 states, 32BJ SEIU is the largest property service workers union in the country. 32BJ SEIU represents over 80,000 building service workers in NYC, including 20,000 commercial office cleaners. 32BJ SEIU members hail from 64 different countries and speak 28 different languages.