Denver Airport Custodians Walk the Picket Line

About 350 custodians at Denver International Airport (DIA) went on strike late last week after their contract expired before they could reach an agreement with their employer, 9NEWS-TV reports.

The custodians, who are members of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 105, work for contractor Flagship Facility Services and its subcontractors. The workers have been pushing for a pay increase after 18 months of intense cleaning during a pandemic which forced them to focus more intently on sanitation at the airport and the connected Westin hotel.

The strike comes weeks after failed negotiations. Union representatives save the janitors’ pay is too low for their increased workloads.

“The janitors, who are a majority people of color and immigrants in our community, say that the low pay is only worsening the staffing shortages at the airport, and the strike is their response to a lack of an agreement to show Flagship their determination for improved wages and working conditions,” union representatives said in a release. 

Flagship representatives said they had hoped the union would reconsider the strike. 

“We’re disappointed that the union has turned down our final offer for an agreement that would have protected and improved wages and provided very generous fringe benefits for our valued employees,” the company said in a statement.  “In the meantime, we are prepared to serve the public at Denver International Airport to uphold a clean and safe environment and quality service for travelers in the interim.”

Meanwhile, DIA officials say they are working to minimize impacts to passengers.

“We urge our contractor Flagship, and our janitors’ union to come to agreement quickly,” airport officials said in a statement. “We believe they can resolve their differences. In the meantime, we are working closely with Flagship to minimize any disruption in service and impacts to [the airport] and our passengers.”