Catherwood LibraryILR School

Much to the relief of the residents of 3,000 New York City apartment buildings, building owners reached a tentative contract just after 1:00am this morning with 28,000 apartment workers who were prepared to go on strike at the stroke of midnight if necessary (see WIT for April 14, 2003). The result of a forty-eight-hour negotiating marathon between Local 32B-J of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the Realty Advisory Board, the three-year agreement is a hard won victory for the janitors, doormen, superintendents and other workers. While business owners had long insisted on a three year wage freeze and concessions on healthcare benefits as the price of an agreement, the contract tentatively settled this morning includes annual raises averaging 2.8 percent and improved healthcare and pension benefits.