Contract settlements ensure fair wage increases, protect important union benefits, and will invest an additional $9M into our communities through increased worker spending power while keeping Portland’s offices clean and secure.   The metro area’s union janitors and security officers have secured historic contract agreements ahead of their June 30 expiration dates.   The union agreements include wage increases to keep up with the cost of living, maintain  important union benefits such as affordable healthcare and paid time off, and continue to investing industry training funds that support the safety and success of frontline workers while adding value for building owners and tenants. The agreement also ensures sustainable costs for clients, which in the long-term will ensure their continued investment in responsible union contractors.   The value that janitors and security officers bring to our commercial districts and our community at large  is reflected in this investment that employers— and by extension, their clients— have made in these agreements . This investment means frontline workers can provide stability for their families while caring for and maintaining our region’s important commercial spaces. Workers are not the only ones who will benefit from these strong agreements. The real estate community will enjoy a greater return on the value of their investment, as these agreements will give workers the opportunity to refine and expand their skills through new and exciting training programs such as concierge services, green cleaning, and other specialized services.  Increased wages for janitors and security officers will also enhance their spending power, which can be reinvested in the local business community. Based on federal Bureau of Economic Analysis metrics (RIMS multiplier), it is estimated that the janitorial agreement alone will invest an additional $9m in our local economy!   “Our janitors have been on the front lines, ensuring our city remains clean and operational and are part of the path forward toward the revitalization of downtown Portland. This contract not only recognizes their essential contributions but also provides them with the wages and benefits they deserve.” —Maggie Long, Executive Director of SEIU Local 49  Janitors and security officers are proud of the work they do to clean and maintain our commercial spaces. With contract bargaining behind them, janitors and security officers are eager to continue the work of welcoming people downtown and to Portland’s commercial core to participate in the process of restoring Portland’s economic vitality. Together, we can reimagine Portland’s future. 

  Portland janitors who work for many of the metro area’s largest commercial building rally for fair wages and a strong contract. Union janitors who clean the metro area’s largest commercial buildings rallied on May 31 to demand fair wage increases and to protect their affordable healthcare as their contract opened for bargaining. Their current contract expires on June 30, 2024.     Janitors addressed the crowd, sharing stories of what a fair wage increase and maintaining union benefits would mean for their families. Janitors also spoke with pride about the ongoing work they have been doing to clean and maintain our commercial spaces, despite the significant challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and the social unrest that followed. As Portland emerges from these years of instability, janitors continue to invest their skill and expertise into rebuilding and reimagining the kind of city that Portland can become. They are eager to partner with building owners to restore and reimagine everything our commercial spaces can offer. Thousands of union janitors, along with union security officers, are currently bargaining their next contract. Keep watching this space for news and updates of this fight for a fair contract! MSN: Contract negotiations underway for Portland-area janitors Portland Mercury: As Portland’s White Collar Employees Return to Offices, Janitors Push For Fair Wages, Benefits