Catherwood LibraryILR School

Although their contract has yet to expire and negotiations are not going poorly, the 30,000 doormen, porters, handymen, superintendents, and other building workers in New York City belonging to 32BJ Service Employees International Union (SEIU) have authorized a strike should talks break down. Hundreds of members flooded streets near 5th Avenue wearing T-shirts and hoisting signs with slogans like, ?We Make New York Home? and ?Good Job, Strong Communities.? The union is concerned about the ever increasing cost of living in the City. The demonstration and protest were not overtly aggressive toward the Realty Advisory Board (RAB), who represents the member?s employers, but rather was aimed to show the seriousness of the member?s conviction. Union-management relations have been characterized by mutual respect and reasonableness which has resulted in more than 20 years of contracts without interruption.