Philly Building Workers Avert Strike

Philadelphia building service workers averted a midnight strike and reached a new contract late Tuesday night.

A tentative agreement between the building service workers union 32BJ and the Building Owners Labor Relations, Inc. (BOLR) was reached on a four year contract covering more than 2600 Philadelphia building service workers. The BOLR represents Philadelphia’s major commercial office building owners, managers and cleaning companies.

The contract increases the average cumulative pay for workers by nearly 7 percent and gives them a $600 bonus the first year. The contract also maintains employer-paid health care coverage and pension. Union members still need to ratify the tentative agreement however.

“These are the kind of good jobs that our communities and our country need to keep our middle class strong,” said Valarie Long, the 32BJ Vice President. “This victory sends a message to the top 1%. The 99% still believe in the American Dream.