Kansas City-area janitors’ union wins raise, paid sick days for employees

By: Tod Palmer, posted at 11:09 AM, Aug 22, 2022

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Janitorial workers in the Kansas City area negotiated better salaries and benefits, which went into effect on July 1.

The Service Employees International Union Local 1 announced Monday that it reached a new collective bargaining agreement, which raises the minimum wage for janitorial staff to $15 per hour and provides additional annual increases.

The new contract impacts nearly 900 union employees who work at various Kansas City-area locations — including the IRS Campus, City Hall, the Lightwell Building, Crown Center and H&R Block’s World Headquarters, among other workplaces.

“I am so proud of this new contract that us Local 1 workers won,” Local 1 janitor Sandy Hinson said in a statement. “Us essential janitors risked our health and safety throughout the pandemic to ensure our communities stayed afloat and families stayed safe. Now, we are finally getting the respect, protection and pay that reflects our hard work and sacrifice.”

In addition to the 18% pay increase, employees will receive Juneteenth as a paid holiday and two paid sick days annually with a planned increase to three days annually.

SEIU Local 1 said in a statement that the concession marks the “first time in history” paid sick days are part of the contract, which also includes “strong language around Union access, immigration rights, and non-discrimination in the workplace.”

“Us workers came together, made our voices heard and won a contract that finally supports us and our families,” Local 1 janitor Beatrice Salazar said in a statement. “I am a janitor at Velociti Services. Never in my time here have we seen paid sick leave on the bargaining table. Many of us didn’t think it was possible, but we proved that together we can win big and win what we rightfully deserve.”

https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/kansas-city-area-janitors-union-wins-raise-paid-sick-days-for-employees