Published: October 2, 2008

Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ successfully negotiated a contract with Makro Services Inc., awarding its cleaners a major wage hike at the Department of Justice building in D.C.

New York-based Local 32BJ negotiated with the Rockville-based cleaning company in regards to its 23 full-time and 27 part-time workers at 950 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.

Under the new three-year contract starting Oct. 4, cleaners will receive a 15 percent wage raise and a 150 percent increase in pension contributions.

“This contract provides the significant wage and pension increases that cleaners deserve for their hard work,” said Jaime Contreras, Local 32BJ capital area district director, which has 10,000 members in the area. “With the unstable economy and the rising cost of basic necessities, working families need all the help they can get.”

Under the new agreement, a typical cleaner at the building who previously earned $15.51 an hour will get an hourly wage of $17.94.

Cleaners will also receive improved health care benefits including full coverage for maternity, lab testing, x-rays, and emergency hospitalization