Watch CBS News

NYC Cleaners' Union Members March In Midtown For Fair Contract

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Thousands of unionized New York City office cleaners hit the streets Wednesday afternoon to demand a fair contract.

Members of the 32BJ Service Employees International Union began marching from 41st Street and Sixth Avenue at 3 p.m. to 48th Street, where they rallied.

1010 WINS'  Terry Sheridan Reports

Podcast

"This is really a fight for the middle class.  Everybody out here is somebody that works hard every day, goes to work at 4 o'clock, gets off at 1 o'clock in the morning," said Mike Fishman, the president of the union.

The union is fighting against a proposal to create a two-tier wage and benefit system and fighting for wage increases.  The workers have also authorized a strike if no contract deal can be reached with the Realty Advisory Board.

EXTRA: Check Traffic & Transit

The current contract expires at the end of the month.

A strike could potentially affect 1,500 commercial office buildings in the city including Rockefeller Center, the Met Life Building, the Empire State Building and the Time-Warner Center.

The union said the highest rate for its cleaners is $22.65 per hour, which amounts to about $47,000 annually.  That is a number that the union says is "significantly less than the household income that independent researchers have shown is necessary to support a family of four."

However, management has said the city's cleaning workers are the highest paid in the country.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.