ByCrystal FambriniAssistant City Editor
Suburban janitors avoided a strike Saturday by unanimously votingto settle a seven-month struggle with employers.
The new contract, voted in by 46 janitors in San Diego, includes a20 percent pay increase, two additional holidays and language thatprotects some immigration rights because most are Latino, unable tospeak fluent English and reside in Tijuana, according to the Justicefor Janitors coalition.
Before the contract, the starting salary for janitors was $5.90 anhour for the typical 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. shift. The janitors wanted a$1.50 pay increase over the next three years, but settled on an85-cent raise over the next 20 months. On average, this givesjanitors $35 more per week — totally an annual increase of $1,870.
The suburban contract does not include health benefits, but Grillosaid the union will work on that “next time around.”
San Diego downtown janitors have health benefits because suburbanjanitors do not have as much power as the others, Grillo said. Almostall of the downtown janitors are unionized, compared to 50 percent ofthe suburban janitors.
More than 1,000 suburban janitors are effected by the voteapproval.
The suburban janitor’s contract ended on Sept. 30, butnegotiations were extended for an extra week because janitors werefighting for an extra holiday.
Service Employees International Union Local 2028 represented thejanitors and said they are pleased with the contract.
“And most importantly we got our (contract) expiration date thatwe wanted,” said Mary Grillo, SEIU executive director.
The new contract expires on March 2003 — the same time when SanDiego’s downtown janitor and several other major city janitorcontract’s expire.
“The next negotiations will be nation-wide,” Grillo said. “We arenow on-line with Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, New York and LosAngeles.”
Grillo said employers have a right to be nervous for 2003, as thejanitors will be able to combine sectors, giving them power innumbers.
As the contract expiration date approached, SEIU organized severalmarches and rallies to conjure up community support such as the35-mile march from the border to La Jolla Sept. 11 to 14. EveryFriday, SEIU also held rallies and marches at the University TowneCenter in La Jolla.
Grillo said the contract agreement could not have been possiblewithout the help of the San Diego community — San Diego StateUniversity students included.
Members from SDSU’s MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano deAztlan) became involved with participating in the downtown janitorstrike last April.
“After (MEChA’s) downtown efforts, they continued their help withour suburban contract,” Grillo said. “Their support has really beeninstrumental in us reaching a settlement. It feels good to have thecommunity behind you.”
MEChA chairwoman Christina Quimiro said working with the communityis what their club is all about.
“They reflect us,” she said. “Their struggle is our struggle.”
She said MEChA holds a high respect for the janitors and wasimpressed with them taking time to come talk at their meetings.
“Their efforts in extending out to students have shown us what itmeans to struggle,” Quimiro said. “Si se puede (We can do it)! It’s acommon chant we used at the rallies.”
The chant started in the 60s with C
