Striking janitors and their supports march up Congress Street. (Globe Staff Photo/Justine Ellement)

Janitors strike begins

By Bipasha Jay, Associated Press, 09/30/02

BOSTON -- More than a thousand Boston-area janitors walked off the job Monday, striking for more full-time opportunities and better health benefits, as cleaning contractors refused to bow to demands from the strikers' union.

Janitors represented by Service Employees International Union Local 254 struck at Boston's World Trade Center and downtown offices in late afternoon, blowing whistles and chanting as they picketed in matching purple T-shirts and hoisting signs proclaiming "Justice for Janitors."

Cars honked, passers-by clapped and construction workers blew their whistles in support as 400 to 500 janitors staged a noisy walkout, marching through downtown streets and blocking traffic en route to their strike headquarters.

Janitors and students march down Huntington Avenue Monday evening to show their support for the strike. (AP Photo)

This marked the start of a targeted strike against Unicco, which provides cleaning service to 1,450 buildings in the Boston area, and other smaller cleaning companies that employ the janitors.

The escalating strike by SEIU Local 254, which represents about 10,000 janitors in the Boston area, will continue indefinitely, union spokeswoman Sylvia Panfil said. It is expected to affect about 93 buildings downtown and in the Back Bay, including One Post Office Square, 100 Summer St., the World Trade Center and International Place.

Panfil said the union and cleaning contractors remain far apart on key issues.

"We didn't make progress on giving more sick days," she said. "We're still far apart on issues of health care, no movement in providing more full-time work."

Jose Acarrasquillo, 27, said supporting his wife and three kids is difficult, especially if he falls ill and has to miss work

"I had a leg infection and I couldn't come to work for two weeks," the janitor said. "That was no pay for two weeks. Very difficult. We are only asking for three sick days."

Miriam Cano, 42, said she once had to come to work with a high flu fever because she couldn't afford to take the day off. She said she's happy to go on strike.

"I feel good, because I feel we're going to win. Justice is on our side," she said through a translator.

Unicco made its case to the public in a full-page advertisement in the Boston Sunday Globe, accusing the union of distorting the truth about the contract negotiations.

"For several months now, SEIU Local 254 has waged a war of words filled with misinformation, innuendo and in some cases false and misleading statements," the ad reads.

A spokesman for the cleaning contractors could not be reached for comment.

As negotiations stalled over the weekend, janitors prepared by making banners and picket signs and organizing strike captains.

They also received support from the Archdiocese of Boston, which announced that it would establish a special Janitors' Families' Food Fund to help striking workers.

"The janitors' families should know that Catholic Charities is putting emergency services at their disposal with sympathy and respect," Cardinal Bernard Law said in a statement.

The strike is the latest round in a national push by SEIU to raise working standards for janitors. The union's Justice for Janitors campaign has gained wins for cleaners in San Diego and Chicago as well as Los Angeles, and last year launched the campaign in New Jersey, Baltimore and suburbs of Washington and Philadelphia.

In April of 2001, janitors in Los Angeles held a three-week strike that attracted support from city officials, clergy and then-Vice President Al Gore. The janitors received a three-year contract with raises of up to 26 percent and benefits.

SEIU 254 only recently came to Boston after the national union put the local into receivership and removed the local's former union leaders from power.

SEIU, with 1.4 million members, is one of the nation's fastest-growing unions.