Negotiations continued Thursday between the Local 32BJ Bargaining Committee and Commercial Building Cleaning Contractors Association for a new union contract covering more than 9,000 commercial cleaners in the Maryland and Washington, D.C. area.

The negotiations center around several major commercial cleaners including Red Coats Inc., American Building Maintenance and Unicco, according to bargaining committee spokeswoman Julie Karant.

With the workers’ contract set to expire Dec. 31, Karant said the talks have been ongoing since mid-November and that if no agreement is reached, the workers will go on strike.

Wages under the current contract range between $7.50 and $10 an hour.

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More than 700 of the cleaners work in Baltimore City where they are responsible for cleaning about 35 facilities, including the Candler, Legg Mason and Bank of America buildings.

“I think we’re close to finding out if we’ll have to go on strike,” said Local 32BJ Capital Area Director Jaime Contreras. “However, both sides are trying to figure out how to avoid a strike. The conversations have been cordial, but they can be cordial for only so long.”

Among the issues on table are health care and vacation benefits as well pay increases.

“Our members are some of the lowest paid members along the East Coast,” said Contreras. “We’re making some headway on the economic issue, but still have a long way to go.”

Local 32BJ President Mike Fishman said in a statement that [a renewed] contract would be an important victory for union members in Maryland who are united with members from Hartford, Connecticut and Washington, DC.

“As a result, area cleaners [would] finally receive health care benefits that are on par with cleaners in New York and throughout the region,” he said.

drowley@baltimoreexaminer.com