Another round of bargaining is scheduled today, Wednesday, November 28th, for SEIU 32BJ commercial office cleaners as they seek a new contract.
The union represents over 600 commercial cleaners and other building workers in downtown Wilmington and New Castle County.
Their current 4-year agreement expires December 31st, and they are at odds with building owners and contractors over wages and vacation time.
Joined by State Senators Sarah McBride and Tizzy Lockman, SEIU 32BJ union workers marched through Wilmington on Tuesday.
McBride says commercial office cleaners are essential to Delaware’s economy.
“As we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic we need to bring people back into our city,” said McBride. “We need to bring people back into the offices. And the only way to do that is through the incredibly important work the people who are gathered here do every single day.”
Daisy Cruz is the Mid-Atlantic District Director for SEIU 32BJ.
She’s been in the union for over 24 years and says with inflation, Delaware’s $15 minimum wage doesn’t cut it anymore.
“SEIU 32BJ was really instrumental in passing that legislation here in Delaware, and our members are currently making $15 an hour. We’re grateful and we’re thankful that Delaware did the right thing, but people need to be making more money just to put food on the table. We’re not asking for billions of dollars, we just want people to be able to pay their rent, put food on the table, and pay their bills,” she explained.
Cruz says it comes down to respect and fairness, and that’s not being reflected in negotiations thus far.
“Our members were the one that, unfortunately, did not have the ability or the chance to stay home when COVID hit,” said Cruz. “When everyone went home and stayed home they still had to come to work every single day and risk their lives. Some of them brought COVID back home, some were in the hospital, and we also lost some members.”
Union members say despite a reduction of hundreds of cleaning positions in the Delaware Valley area, employers are pushing a $3 cut to starting wages for new workers.
They’ve also proposed a 1 week reduction in vacation days for 20-plus year workers who are entitled to 5 weeks.
At the bargaining table today SEIU 32BJ will be fighting against those proposed cuts, to keep their current employer paid health insurance for full-time employees, and for wage increases that keep up with rising inflation.
This contract represents one of several 32BJ labor agreements on the East Coast being bargained this year. Cleaners in downtown Philadelphia, who also rallied for wage increases and to protect health benefits, were successful in their negotiations this fall.
