Thousands of Twin Cities janitors, security officers, and retail cleaners have voted to authorize a strike if employers fail to reach a new contract with their union by March 2.
The vote by 8,000 workers across sectors is the latest attempt by Service Employees International Union Local 26 to apply pressure on an array of big companies and subcontractors.
Nonunion condo workers have also voted to authorize a strike alongside the union.
Local 26 represents more than 4,000 downtown janitors and 1,000 airport workers. Both of those groups are already working without a contract.
The union’s latest vote is a response to what they’ve called a “stalling” in negotiations.
“It’s time for [employers] to pay a livable wage that deals with inflation. It’s time for them to provide a pension benefit, so we can retire in dignity,” said Brahim Kone, SEIU Local 26 secretary-treasurer.
Workers are asking for wage increases of up to $5 per hour. Some groups, such as the janitors, are making $18.62 per hour. Union members are also demanding a pension and improved working conditions.
At Saturday’s strike vote in Minneapolis, Tyra Nelson called for better equipment for downtown security guards, who increasingly have to defuse situations with people who may be struggling with addiction or mental illness.
“You wouldn’t send a soldier into battle with a flashlight, which is how our work can feel sometimes,” Nelson, who has worked downtown Minneapolis as a guard for 23 years. “We’re dealing with people on drugs.”
Workers also spoke out about the need for retirement benefits, affordable health care and more.
Saturday’s vote means that the bargaining committees for commercial janitorial, retail janitorial, security, and other groups could call a strike after March 2.
Commercial janitors work in many downtown Minneapolis towers. Retail janitors, who work at sites including Cub Foods, Kohl’s, JCPenney, and Cabela’s have a separate contract.
Before Saturday’s vote, Kadra Ali, a janitor and a member of the Local 26 executive board, called for her colleagues to vote “yes” for a strike.
“I’m voting ‘yes’ to strike because I know that we need to show our companies that we are serious about winning fair contracts. If they won’t stop the stalling and reach a fair deal, then we will have to strike to show what we deserve,” she said.
At the end of Saturday’s meeting, which was held at Edison High School, Kone asked members present to raise one of two papers signaling their decision on whether or not to authorize a strike.
Union members enthusiastically waved the white piece of paper with “yes” written on it in multiple languages even before being instructed. Some even took the red piece of paper signaling “no” and tore it up.
The last time downtown janitors struck was during the pandemic in 2020, when Local 26 members held a 24-hour strike before settling their contract, Kone said.
Since then, the union has built up a strike fund it started eight years ago to allow members to strike for longer periods while still getting some type of compensation, he said.
Local 26 officials said in a news release that bargaining will continue on all fronts between the union and the employers, with multiple sessions happening every week this month.
CORRECTION: This story has been corrected to update the list of SEIU janitors working at Twin Cities retail chains.
