Mass. Janitors Union Votes To Authorize Strike
BOSTON (CBS/AP) — Thousands of Janitors in Boston may walk off the job after their union voted to authorize a strike.
The Service Employees International Union voted to allow negotiators to declare a strike if a deal can not be reached with employers by the end of the month.
Janitors complain that employers offer them between three and 20 hours a week, a move that prevents them from qualifying as fulltime workers and deny them access to insurance provided by employers.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Kim Tunnicliffe Reports
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About 1,400 janitors represented by Local 615 of the Service Employees International Union voted Saturday by a standing vote to authorize a strike. The union cited reports of workers being met with illegal threats and intimidation.
The Local 615 of the SEIU represents 18,000 property service workers — including 14,000 janitors — in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. The union says more fulltime jobs creates stronger economies.
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