Janitors: Big landlord agrees on contract goals

SEIU Local 615 said today that Blackstone Group LP, owner of many area office properties, has agreed to the union's goals of supporting full-time work and family health insurance for janitors who clean and maintain its properties.

Janitors are in their final weeks of a contract they negotiated in 2002 following a high-profile strike and they are currently bargaining for a new one, said the local of the Service Employees International Union.

Earlier this year, Blackstone won a bidding war to buy Equity Office Properties Trust, which at the time was largest owner and manager of office space in Boston.

Today SEIU Local 615 president Rocio Saenz said in a statement, "Blackstone has taken an important first step in supporting Boston and New England's working families."

SEIU Local 615 said it represents 15,000 janitors and security officers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.

In its own statement, Blackstone said it supports the union's goals "provided the appropriate procedures are put into place to allow for a gradual transition away from part-time employment."

Blackstone's statement added, "The new agreement must also contain the type of flexibility in work rules that will be necessary to maintain acceptable service standards in an ever-changing industry and its economics must maintain the contractors' competitiveness."
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)