Catherwood LibraryILR School

Faced with the possibility of an ultimatum from Massachusetts State Treasurer and gubernatorial candidate Shannon O?Brien, the Boston company that provides cleaning services at the state lottery headquarters and six other lottery offices throughout the state has agreed to sign an interim agreement with striking janitors (see yesterday?s WIT). Already signed by six other Boston-area cleaning companies, the agreement sets up a system through which part-time janitors can amass enough hours of work to qualify for health benefits. The Maintenance Contractors of New England (MCNE) led by cleaning company Unnico has condemned the interim agreement and accused the janitors? union Service Employees International Union Local 254 of coercing companies into signing---a charge denied by both the union and the companies that have signed the agreement.