Janitors who walked off their jobs more than two months ago at the University of Miami agreed late Monday to return to work after they reached a deal on union representation with the outside company that employs them.
Under the terms of the agreement, the janitors and the Unicco Service Company will determine whether a majority of the workers wish to form a union under a process to be conducted by the American Arbitration Association and concluded by August 1.
The dispute that prompted the strike stemmed from efforts to unionize the janitors. The Service Employees International Union had sought to show that the janitors wanted it as their collective-bargaining agent by having them sign pledge cards. Unicco had sought an election. The union said an election would leave workers vulnerable to manipulation and retaliation from the company. Unicco said the card-check approach would allow the union to pressure workers to sign the cards.
As time passed, the walkout became increasingly bitter. Some janitors started a hunger strike that lasted nearly two weeks, before ending last week. Unicco hired replacement workers. Faculty and student sympathizers at Miami joined the strikers in criticizing the university for not pushing Unicco to simply recognize the union. The university and its high-profile president, Donna E. Shalala, a veteran of the administration of President Bill Clinton, drew torrents of bad publicity -- even though, at an early stage of the strike, Miami took steps to raise the janitors’ pay and improve their health benefits.
As part of the settlement, the janitors will return to their jobs on Wednesday, and Unicco will be obliged to recognize the union if at least 60 percent of the workers agree to representation by the Service Employees International Union Local 11. The company agreed to use the card-check process, with the arbitration association verifying the results, the Associated Press quoted a Unicco spokeswoman as saying.
Labor leaders hailed the deal. “This would not be possible without the incredible support of the faith-based community, the students, and the faculty” at the university, said Andrew Stern, the union’s president, in a written statement. “This is a victory for Miami, and an important first step to ensure that work pays in South Florida.”
The company also seemed pleased with the deal. Steven C. Kletjian, Unicco’s chairman and chief executive, described the deal as “fair and equitable to all parties” and said in a written statement that the agreement “satisfies our most significant concern -- that the rights of our employees are preserved, and they have access to a democratic process that allows them to freely express their opinion regarding union representation.”
Background articles from The Chronicle:
