Nov. 20—Hundreds of janitors at Denver International Airport who walked off the job Saturday morning have reached a tentative bargaining agreement that includes a "historic" $4-an-hour raise, union officials said.
After months of negotiations with Flagship Facility Services, 350 members of Service Employees International Union Local 105 went on strike at 6 a.m. as the Thanksgiving travel period was unfolding.
The union said it was striking because of "unfair" workloads and stagnant wages.
"The janitors that keep this airport clean and safe stood strong" said Tikdem Atsbaha, a janitor of 18 years, in a news release. "We walked off the job united, and we won historic wages and workload protections for janitors at this airport. This agreement is good for janitors, it's good for our communities, and it's good for our airport."
The contract was tentatively resolved in about 12 hours after the Saturday morning walk out.
The proposed $4 hourly raise, which would come in three increments over a three-year contract, would raise top-level pay for janitors to $21 an hour, said David Fernandez, a union representative. The proposal has to be ratified by a vote of union members.
If approved, janitors at DIA will get a $2.50 hourly raise in March of 2022, followed by a 75-cent raise in 2023 and a 75-cent raise in 2024.
Earlier Saturday the union described the strike as "a last resort." The janitors service the main terminal and concourses at DIA. On Oct. 1 the janitors walked off the job for a one-day strike. Saturday morning's news release described the current union action as an "open-ended strike during the peak of Thanksgiving travel" at the airport.
"We are pleased that SEIU and Flagship have reached an agreement and thank both parties for their efforts and partnership to develop an equitable solution for our janitors," said Phil Washington, CEO of the airport, in the release. "The janitorial staff is an important part of (DIA) and we thank them for their hard work."
Janitors will vote on the proposal within the coming week. Calling an end to the short strike, they "immediately" resumed work, the release said.
"I'm deeply proud of our members for joining together, being tenacious, and staying unified" said SEIU Local 105 President Ron Ruggiero. "This contract isn't just good for janitors, it's good for all airport workers. Together, these Janitors are fighting to raise the standard and make a better airport for everyone."
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