Many of the tenants of the building are very upset that this has happened in their building. Some of the tenants are foundations that work on healthcare issues and they have written a sharply worded letter to management protesting this action.
There were picket lines set up around the building for several days.
A Federal lawsuit naming naming the entities involved in the ownership and operation of then building has been filed in federal court. The management of the building has violated ERISA by denying the janitors the healthcare that the contract provides.
Multiple Labor Board charges have been filed naming the building's owners and describing the management's breaking of the contract and discrimination against the janitors.
The President of the Allegheny County Labor Council and four clergy members tried to meet with building management to find a solution to this problem. Management refused to meet with the delegation and had them arrested.
On February 6, 2004, a panel of nine prominent community leaders held a public hearing to gather all the facts in the situation and made recommendations that the janitors be reinstated. The Urban League, the NAACP, the Pittsburgh Building Trades, the Pennsylvania Senate, the Allegheny County Democratic Party and the Steelworkers were some of the groups that participated.
Pittsburgh City Council unanimously passed a resolution in City Council on January 27 supporting the janitors and calling for a resolution to this dispute.
In December, 2004 City Council unanimously supported a Displaced Worker Ordinance that would guarantee janitors and other contract workers employment for 180 days whenever the cleaning contractor in a building changes. This bill would prevent a replay of the Centre City Tower situation. It became law in mid-December.
