Janitors at Denver Airport reach agreement with contractor, ending strike

DENVER (KRDO) -- Less than 12 hours after they walked off the job, three hundred and fifty janitors and members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 105 that service the main terminals and concourses of the airport have reached an agreement with their contractor, Flagship Facility Services. 

“The Janitors that keep this airport clean and safe stood strong” said Tikdem Atsbaha, a janitor of 18 years, “We walked off the job united, and we won historic wages and workload protections for janitors at this airport. This agreement is good for janitors, it’s good for our communities, and it’s good for our airport.”

The agreement reached contains raises amounting to $4/hr over the three years of the contract, along with workload protections and increased time off. The agreement comes after a months-long process during which the janitors came to the bargaining table, spoke out to the Denver City Council and the airport, and ultimately went on strike against their contractor.

“We are pleased that SEIU and Flagship have reached an agreement and thank both parties for their efforts and partnership to develop an equitable solution for our janitors,” said DEN CEO Phil Washington. “The janitorial staff is an important part of DEN and we thank them for their hard work.”

“I’m deeply proud of our members for joining together, being tenacious, and staying unified” said SEIU Local 105 President Ron Ruggiero, “They fought together for a contract that treated them like the heroes they’ve been called for almost two years. This contract isn’t just good for Janitors, it’s good for all airport workers. Together, these Janitors are fighting to raise the standard and make a better airport for everyone.”