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47,000 Central States Janitors
Fight for a Better Life in 2006

The 2006 bargaining season for 47,000 janitors across the central states kicked off March 5th to a packed crowd of over 3,000 janitors and community supporters at the Chicago Theater in downtown Chicago. The Chicago contract expires April 6th and covers nearly 12,000 janitors. It is the first contract to expire in the Central States. 

Janitors from all the cities with expiring contracts attended the event and pledged to support Chicago’s janitors as they gear up for their own fights back home.  No matter where you go, the issues are the same: The cost of health care and prescription drugs continues to skyrocket; wages aren’t keeping up with the cost of living; and cost cutting has led to job loss and increased workload. 

It will be difficult to get ahead while wage and benefit concessions in the airline and auto industries are front page news.  However, SEIU has proven in the past that if we stick together we can win, even in difficult times.  The success of Chicago’s contract fight is important and will set the stage for the other property service workers bargaining in the Central States this year.