Five janitors – who, up until three weeks ago, cleaned the Icon Condominium towers at 250 and 270 Wellington Street  — hosted a rally on July 23, 2019, in Toronto rejecting their cleaning contractor, Luciano Janitorial Services latest offer.

The janitors are demanding the cleaning contractor end the lockout and negotiate a fair contract.

“He is demanding we give away things we need,” said Villamor Castaneto in a press release. Castaneto has been working at the building for seven years. “Right now, all we want is for our employer to come back to negotiate so we can keep working and find a fair deal.”

“With the modest health benefits we get I can buy medication for my high blood pressure,” added Llanes, who has worked at the condo for six years. “Without those benefits, I will really struggle to get my medicine.”

The cleaning company wants workers like Emma Llanes to give up two out of her four yearly sick days and increase her monthly benefit contributions from the 20 per cent employee paid to 70 per cent.

According to a press release, Luciano Janitorial Services is offering a pay increase of only 30 cents spread over three years. The workers currently make 14.50/hour or 15.25/hour depending on their job classification, and the standard set by City-Wide agreements negotiated just a few weeks ago is a $1.20 raise over three years.  Other cleaners in the city were also able to win the start of a pension plan to begin in 2021 which Luciano Janitorial Services has rejected for the janitors.

Images courtesy of GlobeNewswire.