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Published: December 27, 2007

Adela Diaz of Bethesda and other members of SEIU 32BJ rally for a new
contract in Silver Spring. (By Jacquelyn Martin -- Associated Press)

Office cleaners in Montgomery County and Baltimore are threatening to strike as soon as next week if they are not offered substantial pay increases and other benefits in a new contract under negotiation.

The contract between about 2,200 workers and their employers' association expires Monday. Officials with the Service Employees International Union, which represents the office cleaners, say the two sides differ on the size of pay increases, health-care benefits and other issues.

"We are hopeful that we don't have to" strike, Jaime Contreras, area director for the SEIU 32BJ local, said yesterday. "But at this point, we are pretty far apart."

The union is in talks with the commercial building cleaning contractors' association, which represents cleaning contractors that include Red Coats, American Building Maintenance and Unicco.

Peter Chatilovicz, an attorney for the association, said that talks were planned for today and that he was "cautiously optimistic" that an agreement could be reached before Monday. But he said some of the union's demands, such as an annual pay increase of about 9 percent, might have to change.

Contreras said some of the buildings that could be affected include the headquarters of Legg Mason in Baltimore, the Discovery Communications offices in Silver Spring, and large office buildings in Bethesda and Rockville.

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