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D.C. Office Cleaners May Strike This Week

By: Patrick Madden // October 10, 2011
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Nearly 12,000 office cleaners in the D.C. region are threatening to strike when their contract expires at the end of the week. The workers, who are members of the Service Employees International Union are pushing for greater health benefits and higher wages, according to the Washington Post.

The union has been negotiating with Washington Service Contractors Association, and union representatives say if a deal isn’t struck by midnight on Oct. 15, the office cleaners will strike.

The union says the workers deserve a better contract because the area’s commercial real estate industry is booming, with record-setting rental rates and low vacancies. The cleaning companies say they’re still struggling in the shaky economy,  and are asking for the current contract to be maintained for at least a year.

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