Catherwood LibraryILR School

With a strike by Boston-area janitors represented by Local 254 of the Service Employees International Union well into its third week and no end yet in sight (see WIT for Sep. 17, 2002), both the union and the Maintenance Contractors of New England (MCNE) representing their employers are seeking to strengthen their respective hands. The two sides wrote letters yesterday to the owners of buildings that contract for janitorial services with the cleaning companies that have been struck by Local 254, blaming each other and asking the owners to intervene on their behalf. While the union has managed to call 2,000 janitors out at the ninety-seven high profile buildings it has targeted and hold massive rallies that have brought their plight to the attention of millions (see WIT?s for Sep. 3 and Oct. 8, 2002), some members have crossed picket lines and with replacement workers have maintained at least some level of service at most of the struck buildings.