UAW Custodians Reach Tentative Agreement

Union representatives of the striking General Motors Co. (GM) custodians reached a tentative contract agreement late last week with the building services contractor (BSC) who employs the workers, the Detroit Free Press reports.

The approximately 850 custodians have been working on a contract extension since March 2018. They went on strike September 15, one day before GM autoworkers went on the picket line. The autoworkers also have reached a contract agreement. Both groups of workers are members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) labor union.

Details of the agreement between the custodians and the BSC are not available. The workers, who earn between US$11 and $15.18 an hour, are seeking higher pay and improved health benefits. They describe many of their daily cleaning and maintenance tasks in GM facilities as dangerous, such as using extremely high-pressure water to clean equipment in the paint shop.