VICTORY!

Yesterday, Monday, August 11, Tufts janitors ratified the tentative agreement reached between SEIU local 615 and American Building Maintenance Industries. This means the janitors now have a new contract that promotes economic justice and respect for Tufts janitors. Here are some of the major details of the new contract:

$0.80 wage increase each year for the next four years (For example, their hourly pay will move from $13.85/hour to $14.65/hour next year). In the fifth year of the contract, their wages will be raised to a dollar above the wages specified in the 2012 janitorial master contract for Boston.

At the end of the last contract, Tufts janitors received 3 sick days per year. By the end of the new contract, they will receive 9 personal days off. Not only is this a 200% increase in days they can take off, but the doctor's note requirement to take time off has been lifted. Now workers can take these days off for any personal reason they deem necessary.

Workers' contribution to the family healthcare plan has been capped for the next 5 years to $100/month. This is a huge win, given the rapidly rising costs of healthcare. Full-time Tufts janitors can insure themselves and their entire immediate family for only $100 each month.

By the end of the new contract, 90% of Tufts janitors will be employed full-time (they are currently at 65% full-time). Not only will this provide crucial benefits to larger portion of the Tufts janitorial staff, but it will also allow these workers to spend more time with their families, as they will not be required to work multiple part-time jobs to support their families any longer.

Thank you to everyone who has helped out during this campaign. Without your support, none of this would have been possible.

Any questions? Feel free to email Kevin.Dillon@tufts.edu or Maxwell.Goldman@tufts.edu