Houston janitors could strike if new contract isn’t reached soon

Houston-area janitors represented by the Service Employees International Union voted Saturday to authorize the organization’s negotiating committee to call a strike if a new agreement cannot be reached by May 31.

The current contract was signed two years ago. About 3,000 janitors are part of the union.

“We will do whatever it takes as long as the table is moving in the right direction,” SEIU Texas President Elsa Flores said. “But on May 31, if that’s not the case, we now have the power to call a strike.”

The vote took place in a ballroom on the third floor of the George R. Brown Convention Center.

Workers hope to see their nighttime hours increase from five to six hours, which would help them move into and benefit from full-time status. They are also fighting to increase the minimum wage for janitors from $11.75 to $15.

Janitors contracted by the city earn $15 an hour, according to the SEIU.

Flores said if negotiations had gone well, the union would not have called a strike authorization vote. She said it was surprising because the union expected contractors and owners to be able to “do better” than what they are currently offering.

The union said Houston janitors are paid significantly less than those in other cities. It says the minimum wage for comparable jobs in Pittsburgh is $20.77 and in Columbus, Ohio, is $16.25.

“I don’t think Houston is a unique place,” said Resha Thomas, SEIU executive vice president. “Living here is still very expensive. It may be in the South, but the price of gas is still a little higher. Rents have gone up. We’ve all experienced inflation.”

Janitors kicked off bargaining season with a rally and march in downtown Houston in early April. About 250 people attended the April 6 rally, which began at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

After Saturday’s vote at the convention center, U.S. Rep. Al Green (D-Houston) addressed the crowd, and then members rallied again, demonstrating in the streets of downtown Houston.

He said workers deserve to receive a raise and full-time status.

“It’s an injustice to pay people $11.75 an hour, which equates to less than $1,000 a month. Who can live in Houston, Texas on less than $1,000 a month? These People are hard-working, good, loyal people. They deserve better. “They don’t deserve to suffer this kind of injustice,” Green said.

Houston janitors have already struck twice, in 2006 and 2012.

Their last negotiation with cleaning companies took place in 2022. The two sides reached an agreement less than 24 hours after the old contract expired. However, there was no strike despite the gap between the expiration of the previous contract and the new agreement.

Both sides will be back at the negotiating table on Monday with more meetings underway.

“We’re very far apart and we need owners to send a clear message to contractors that they don’t need a strike,” Flores said. “These workers deserve better.”