Today (12÷18): In Delaware’s Wilmington and New Castle counties, janitors who clean Bank of America and JP Morgan Chase office buildings concluded a nine-month strike, successfully securing wage increases, health insurance and paid vacation time. The new contract will cover 800 area workers, raising their wages to $9.25 an hour over the next two years.
Thursday (12÷17): Angelica Corp., which manufactures hospital linens, ended a 400-worker strike at their Somerville, Mass. plant. After less than a week, the parties ratified a new contract that included a 45-cent hourly raise by 2011, in addition to an increased employer contribution to the pension plan and health insurance costs.
Also Thursday: A coalition of rabbis joined the fight to get 98 laid-off Boston Hyatt housekeepers rehired. The group joined petitioner Rabbi Barbara Penzner at Hyatt’s Chicago headquarters in criticizing the outsourcing of the housekeepers’ jobs. Penzner was denied a meeting with Hyatt CEO Mark Hoplamazian.
Wednesday (12÷16): Hotel workers affiliated with UNITE-HERE began a strike at the San Francisco W Hotel, following a series of strikes at San Francisco-area luxury hotels organized by their union.