Commercial building owners to renegotiate union contracts


Howard Rothschild, president of the Realty
Advisory Board

Commercial building owners are preparing for contract talks with the Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ, which represents about 25,000 New York City area workers in over 1,000 commercial buildings, and whose city commercial contract ends Dec. 31, the New York Post reported.

The union negotiated an impressive four-year contract at the end of 2007, providing for a 4.8 percent yearly average salary bump in wages and benefits for workers. At the end of this year, the weekly salary for a Class A building “handyperson” will be $990.92 plus benefits, or $80,960 per year, the Post said. Office cleaners, porters and elevator operators will earn $905.02 per week, or $76,540 a year with benefits.

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First talks with the union are scheduled for Nov. 15, said Howard Rothschild, president of the Realty Advisory Board, which represents owners.

“At that meeting they will give us their presentation and proposals and about 10 days later we will respond to them,” Rothschild said. “Only the union can say if there is going to be a strike. We always prepare because if we didn’t it would be very foolish.” [Post, 1st item]