Janitors Host Convention and March

For an Economy That Works for All Houstonians

With negotiations to improve more than 3,200 local jobs set to start at the end of the month, Houston janitors today are hosting a convention and march to call for an economy that works for all Houstonians.

“When some people have more money than they can possibly spend while others do not have enough to make ends meet, it holds Houston’s economy back,” says Houston janitor Ascención Blanco. “We need an economy that works for everybody.”

While Houston has weathered the economic downturn better than many other cities, those at the bottom have been disproportionately hurt. One in four Houstonians report having trouble buying groceries to feed their family. More than 1.3 million residents in the metropolitan area have no access to quality, affordable health care.

In 2006, Houston janitors stood up to win better jobs for Houston after they were forced to go on strike. At the time, most janitors were paid just $20 a day with no benefits. They won a collective bargaining agreement that gave them access to affordable healthcare and more than doubled their income to $7.75 an hour with additional work hours.  

But there is room for improvement for the janitors who clean wealthy downtown, Galleria and Katy office buildings.  The well-to-do building owners, who ultimately determine working conditions, are taking in $23.26 in rental income per square foot in Houston—similar rates to other major U.S. cities where janitors are paid significantly more.  For example, in Chicago, where many of the same owners and cleaning contractors do business, rental rates are almost exactly the same at $23.44 per square foot.  However, Houston janitors are paid about half of what Chicago janitors are paid.

The janitors are also seeking to expand access to the Houston Service Workers Clinic, which at a fraction of the cost of the average employer sponsored health insurance plan, is a cost effective way for employers to meet their healthcare obligation. At just $185 a month for employers and $20 a month for employees with no co-pays or limits to services, the clinic encourages janitors to visit their personal doctor.  As a result, the clinic has been able to deliver more care at a lower cost per member with fewer emergency room visits than medical facilities associated with more traditional insurance.

Janitors enjoy widespread national and local support as they prepare to negotiate a new agreement with cleaning companies, including ABM, Pritchard, ISS/Sanitors, GCA, and Aztec. More than 70 community, elected, and religious leaders in Houston, as well as janitors from 30 U.S. cities, will stand with the workers as they bargain to create better jobs that will strengthen the economy and ease the city’s healthcare crisis. The agreement is set to expire in November.