Houston’s contract janitors have reached a tentative agreement in wage negotiations – Houston Public Media
Houston janitors protest for a $15 minimal wage shut to Metropolis Hall on Might 18, 2022.
Houston’s contract janitors have reached a tentative two-yr settlement with The city’s private janitorial corporations, averting The specter of a citywide strike.
The staff have pushed for an hourly minimal wage of $15 and An enhance Inside the Quantity of provided sick days and paid depart. Neacquirediations started Tuesday simply hours earlier than the earlier contract expired.
Based mostly on SEIU Texas — which represents about 2,800 Houston-space janitors — a majority of staff are on An factor-time basis, making as little as $10.75 per hour beneath the earlier contract.
SEIU Texas President Elsa Caballero said the janitors have beenn’t making a livable wage, however added that The mannequin new tentative two-yr settlement is an encouraging step in The biggest course.
“It was getting even extra sturdy and extra sturdy to Look after themselves, their households, and simply The general wants That you merely’ve acquired on a day-to-day basis,” Caballero said. “And fortunately, after a doc marathon neacquirediation, we have been In a place To Obtain a tentative settlement that I really feel addresses Lots of their considerations.”
The settlement’s specifics Shall be made public after union members have An alternative to ratify the contract on Saturday, Caballero said.
The group has been threatening a strike if contract neacquirediations fell by way of. Houston janitors have held two huge-scale strikes in earlier yrs — The primary in 2006 and the second in 2012. The tentative settlement has averted A potential strike for now.
The precedent for a $15 minimal wage has already been set: Houston Metropolis Council raised the minimal wage for all municipal staff — collectively with janitors — to $15 an hour final yr. In February, …….
