Published: January 7, 2008

CHEVY CHASE, Md. -
Office cleaners in Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Montgomery County have voted to ratify new four-year contracts, ending the threat of a strike.

Officials with the Service Employees International Union say the contracts will provide pay increases of up to 28 percent over four years and better health care benefits. A tentative agreement was reached in late December, and union members voted unanimously Saturday to ratify the contracts.

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

The contracts cover about 2,200 cleaners in Baltimore and Montgomery County and 4,500 cleaners in Washington.