Janitors who are members of the Service Employees International Union Local 105 voted Tuesday to authorize a strike across metro Denver if negotiations with 17 cleaning contractors don’t lead to acceptable terms.

The contract that expires July 28 covers about 2,400 people who work in approximately 1,500 buildings. Stephanie Felix-Sowy, president of SEIU Local 105, said union members’ main priorities include a livable wage and a solution to concerns about the workload.

“Workload meaning additional workload being placed on our members while hours are being cut oftentimes,” Felix-Sowy said.

Eva Martinez was among several union members casting ballots in a downtown plaza and rallying support from pedestrians and drivers. She has worked as a janitor for 30 years at the Republic Plaza in downtown Denver. Martinez said 24 janitors worked at the building before the COVID-19 pandemic and now just 12 work there.

Felix-Sowy translated for Martinez, who speaks Spanish. The union said about 90% of the janitors are Latina immigrants.

Martinez said the janitors hope to reach a fair agreement, but are united and ready to strike if that doesn’t happen.

SEIU spokesman David Fernandez said 100% of those voting authorized a strike. The union didn’t release the total number of those who cast ballots during three days of voting.

Fernandez said if an agreement isn’t reached by the deadline, union members will decide how to carry out any labor action.

Talking about working conditions, Martinez said while the building occupancy is lighter on certain days, the levels are close to pre-pandemic levels on other days. When the 12 janitors can’t finish the work in under 8 hours, they get warnings, she told Felix-Sowy.

Union members are also negotiating for wages that are fair and will allow the workers to pay rent and other expenses in the face of increasing costs, Felix-Sowy said.

“Members have made it very clear that it is not acceptable to say that these are minimum-wage jobs, that the intent of a collective bargaining agreement is never to be minimum,” Felix-Sowy said.

Martinez is asking for respect for the work that she does, Felix-Sowy said. “Janitors believe this is a dignified job and they should be treated that way.”

John Nesse, a labor relations attorney who represents the employers, said in an email that the cleaning contractors have met with the union several times since June. The group of employers is called the Denver Maintenance Contractors Association.

Union officials said agreements have been reached with other SEIU locals, including in Houston, Minneapolis and Seattle. Felix-Sowy said members in San Francisco have voted to authorize a strike.

Nesse said the employers are hopeful that a new agreement will be struck in Denver before the current contract expires.

“We are disappointed that the union is threatening to strike, but we will continue to negotiate in good faith until a new agreement is reached,” Nesse said. “Our current agreement includes industry-leading wages and benefits, including health insurance and paid time off.”

Neese said in the last bargaining session, SEIU members said they want wage increases ranging from 45% to 87% over four years and significant boosts in health benefits and paid time off.

‘In the last scheduled negotiations, cleaning company executives communicated to the janitors that they view this essential work as minimum-wage jobs for a multibillion-dollar-a-year revenue industry in Colorado,” Maria Hernandez, a Denver Janitor for the last 39 years and member of the bargaining committee, said in an email.

Felix-Sowy said members want to eliminate existing disparities in wages based on the location of their workplaces.

Paul Lopez, Denver Clerk and Recorder, joined SEIU members at the voting site. He said he was an organizer with the union for five years and that he and his father both worked as janitors.

“The State of the City (speech) was yesterday and there was a lot of talk about building a thriving downtown, a strong economy downtown. These are the very folks that make it happen,” Lopez said. “I’m urging these companies to come to the table to move the ball forward.”

Originally Published: July 23, 2024 at 7:08 p.m.