Owners face threat of New Year strike by officecleaners.

The deadline is looming for contract negotiations between Local 32BJ and the Realty Advisor Board on Labor Relations. If resolve isn't met by Dec. 3 l, when the cleaning services union's existing contract expires, some 2,500 building services employees are expected to strike on New Year's Day. A

"Office cleaners are ready to strike for the fair wage increase they deserve," said L32BJ president Michael Fishman. "The $250 billion real estate industry should not be nickel and diming the men and women who keep their buildings clean and running well."

The union, which includes New York City commercial building services employees (janitors, doormen, elevator operators), is part of the Service Employees International Union. The group last went on strike in 1996, but threats of a Jan. 1 strike have increased with each passing day, as little progress has been reported on the negotiation process.

According to L32BJ, New York rents are up 26% this year, vacancy rates are at a six-year low, building values are up 62% over the last three years, revenue is up to $21.6 billion annually, but their members wages--when adjusted for inflation--have dropped 5% since January 2005. Now the union is seeking a bigger piece of the pie, but it has chosen to withhold exactly how much it wants from negotiating managers until Dec. 27--less than a week before the contract expiration date. After the union took to the streets for a demonstration on Dec. 11, RAB president James Berg said: "The union's contention that the real estate market has done well in the past few years is true, but so have its members. More importantly, there are grave storm clouds threatening the economy and the real estate industry over the next few years that will be covered by a new contract."

Berg also noted that those represented by the union earn an average annual salary of more than $40,000--the highest in the country for building services employees.

Earlier this month RAB, released a manual--available on its Web site (www.rabolr.com)--advising best practices for building owners/operators should L32BJ proceed with promises to strike. The 39-page manual urges them to notify tenants, have a management rep inspect buildings daily, ensure a strong security presence, be vigilant in preventing vandalism, prohibit non-union employees from aiding personnel on strike and limit cleaning to the most necessary areas. But, most importantly, Berg stressed the need for RAB to remain united and for building owners to resist breaking ranks to sign separate agreements. "The union offers such 'sweet talk' as part of its 'divide and conquer' approach to buildings," he said. "The more buildings that break ranks and sign separate agreements, the more difficult it will be for the RAB to achieve favorable terms for all of its members."

According to LBJ32 spokesman Matthew Nerzig, last week's demonstration drew 10,000 union members and authorized the union's bargaining committee to call for a strike should building owners neglect to meet their demands for higher wages.

"We've been at the table with the real estate industry many times before, but they haven't been doing this well in years and we're looking for sizable wage hikes," Nerzig said.

Should LBJ32 strike, the move could affect 1,000 New York City buildings, including iconic towers like the Empire State Building, the Met Life Building and the World Financial Center.

"The union is demanding a fair and reasonable wage. So are we," Berg said. "Out" negotiations will determine what, exactly, that means."