White Plains, NY - Office building cleaners from Hudson Valley in New York and Fairfield County in Connecticut have ratified a four-year agreement that provides a nearly 13% wage increase over the life of the agreement.

The new contract also provides affordable health care coverage and increases the number of full-time job opportunities.

"Our members are working two and three jobs to try and keep their heads above water in one of the most expensive regions in the country,” said John Santos, 32BJ Hudson Valley Regional Director. “This contract will help them support their families, and contribute to the growth of the economy."

"This is a fair agreement with modest wage increases that will help the 3,300 building cleaners in the area continue to move out of poverty and have a chance at the American Dream," said Kurt Westby, Connecticut State Director for 32BJ SEIU.

Members voted unanimously over the weekend to approve the agreement. The new four-year contract - which is between 32BJ and area cleaning contractors such as American Building Maintenance (ABM), A & A Maintenance, and Temco - is set to expire in 2015.

32BJ members clean prominent buildings in Fairfield County including the University of Connecticut, the UBS Building, the RBS Building, Norwalk Community College and Fairfield University. In Hudson Valley, the list includes the Morgan Stanley Building and both the Galleria and Westchester Malls.

There are approximately 1,700 commercial cleaners in Hudson Valley and more than 1,500 in Fairfield County. Employers, building owners and managers began negotiations with the union in early November.

With more than 120,000 members unionwide and over 5,800 living in Hudson Valley and Fairfield combined, 32BJ is the largest property services union in the country. For more information, visit www.standwithbuildingworkers.org.