Published: December 28, 2007

CHEVY CHASE, Md. (AP) -- Office cleaners in D.C., Baltimore and Montgomery County have reached a tentative agreement on new four-year contracts, avoiding a possible strike.

Officials with the Service Employees International Union announced the agreement late Thursday, saying it would provide significant wage increases and better health care benefits.

Union members must still ratify the contracts, which call for pay increases of up to 28 percent over four years.

The agreement was reached with the Commercial Building Cleaning Contractors Association, which represents cleaning contractors that include Red Coats, American Building Maintenance and Unicco.

Contracts covering about 2,200 cleaners in Baltimore and Montgomery County were set to expire December 31. Contracts covering 4,500 D.C. cleaners were set to expire in April.