Union janitors in Cleveland ratify contract with commercial employers

Stephanie Jackson, a janitor with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the newly ratified contract for commercial janitors in Northeast Ohio. She spoke about the difficult contract negotiations and the importance of having a union help protect the mostly minority workforce. 

A 15-year career as an environmental service worker, or union janitor, at the Cleveland-Cliffs Steel Mill, helped Jackson prepare for her position with Local 1’s bargaining committee on behalf of janitors in the Cleveland area. The committee was a first for Jackson, as she’s only been involved with the union for two years. She talked about her experiences as a union janitor and some of the daily issues they faced. SEIU 1 represents over 50,000 working people in five states and 10 cities in the Midwest, with this contract representing 500 commercial janitors throughout Cuyahoga County commercial office buildings and the steel mill.

Jackson spoke about the negotiations and how the SEIU Local 1 janitors earned a historic contract. The four-year contract came after weeks of negotiations, and with it, the workers will receive several improvements to their wages and benefits. Jackson talked about the improvements to wages, which she said were much needed with the rising cost of living in the Cleveland area. Most important for Jackson was adding three paid sick days and 100 percent employer-paid health insurance. 

The majority of the workers represented by this bargaining unit are black, brown, immigrant and women janitors. Jackson talked about the importance of these workers to receive the value they have worked tirelessly to earn. With the union's help, these workers could earn a contract to provide for themselves and their families. Jackson said that protecting their health and providing for their families is all the members wanted, and now they can focus on keeping commercial buildings in Cleveland clean.

Learn more about the new contract for the commercial janitors in the Cleveland area by listening to the show above.