Janitors and The Building Owners and Managers Association of Chicago on Friday announced they'd reached a new contract agreement "in principle."
However, details of the agreement won't be released until the offer can be shared with union members next weekend, said a spokeswoman with the Service Employees' International Union Local 1.
After ratification, the new contract will run from April 9 of this year through April 8, 2015, according to a late-afternoon press release from BOMA/Chicago.
"We are pleased to have negotiated in principle a mutually-beneficial contract that addresses the needs of our members and the members of Local 1," said Michael Cornicelli, executive vice president of BOMA/Chicago.
The contract will include new wage rates and contributions to the health and welfare plan covering Local 1 members, the organization said.
A separate contract for suburban janitors, scheduled to expire Easter Sunday, was extended Friday by one day in an effort to avert a strike. Negotiations will continue Monday, said SEIU Local 1 spokeswoman Isabela Miltko.
"We are pleased that we were able to reach an agreement in principle with BOMA. But our suburban janitors are struggling to stay out of poverty. They need a decent wage increase and health care for their families,” Union President Tom Balanoff said in a written statement. "Our members are willing to do whatever it takes to win better jobs.”
Janitors authorized a strike last week to win the wages they need for their families. At a rally earlier this week, workers said they struggle to make ends meet on an income of $20,000 below the cost of living in Chicago.
