Chicago Suburban Janitors Strike
Several thousand striking members of Service Employees International Union Local 1 rallied in Chicago on April 17. Their strike lasted for five hours before employers agreed to a new contract for workers, who clean downtown commercial buildings. The next day janitors who work in the suburbs began a rolling strike. One week later the action involved 4,500 workers. The strikers, who make $6.65 an hour, are demanding a pay raise and medical benefits. The downtown janitors have pledged their support. Five of the seven contractors negotiating with the suburban janitors also clean 90 percent of the downtown commercial buildings.