Janitors to resume negotiations

Orange County janitors represented by the Service Employees International Union have announced they will resume negotiations with local contractors today, following Monday’s announcement that Los Angeles County janitors had already reached a tentative agreement that promised a $1,000 annual raise.

As both counties’ janitors will ultimately be employed under the same master contract, organizers are hopeful the offer would be a suitable framework for contract negotiations in Orange County, though a spokesman for local contractors said economic differences between the two communities should be taken into account.

“[The L.A. contract] sets a standard that we should be able to achieve,” union president Michael Garcia said. “These [two sets of janitors] work for the same cleaning companies and, largely, for the same building owners.”

“I know the union will probably try to apply the model, but you have to look at each of these situations differently,” said Dick Davis, the bargaining coordinator for Orange County janitorial contractors. “Orange County has a vacancy rate of 15%, and as L.A. County is nowhere near that, it certainly casts a different viewpoint on this.”

Davis declined to name further economic differences or what he would change about the contract, but added that such a vacancy rate “did not bode well” for local building owners who employ the janitors.

Spokeswoman Gina Bowers dismissed that point, alleging Davis was simply “making excuses” to give janitors an unfair deal.

“[These companies] are in a position to take responsibility for these jobs, and to make sure that janitors are earning decent wages and health care,” she said.

Organizers were quick to again point their fingers at the Irvine Co., the largest building owner in Orange County, whose support they say is critical in ensuring a fair contract for workers. Irvine Co. spokesman Bill Rams reiterated that the company felt the dispute should be settled by the union and contractors, though union representatives say the company intervened in a similar situation two years ago.

“If there are very low-wage jobs, it causes stress on the entire community,” Bowers said. “When there are so many people who work full time and cannot meet their basic needs, it really creates a citywide crisis.”

Union officials continued to decline comment on the date for a strike workers voted to authorize earlier this month, saying it would compromise the “element of surprise” they may use to their advantage.

CHRIS CAESAR may be reached at (714) 966-4626 or at [email protected].