After reaching a deal just minutes after the contract deadline, members of the Local 32 BJ union are thankful they didn't have to strike. "I'm happy the deal was reached. I'm very happy because no one wants to go on strike during these economic times," one doorman told the Post. The deal includes 10% wage increases over four years and and agreements to continue discussions on lowering health care costs. more ›

Residents at over 3,200 buildings in New York City are probably breathing a sigh of relief, as there will be no doormen and building worker strike: The 30,000 apartment building workers and owners reached an agreement just after midnight. According to SEIU 32BJ, the "workers won a tentative four-year agreement early this morning that provides nearly 10% in wage increases, maintains fully employer-paid family health care coverage and keeps pension benefits secure." more ›

Bad news for anyone hoping to ride out the pending Local 32 BJ strike by just ordering out more than usual: the grocery delivery service Fresh Direct will refuse to enter buildings whose doormen are on strike. The unionized drivers of Local 348S want to show solidarity with building workers, and will make anyone who orders groceries to those buildings meet them on the street and carry the boxes themselves. Union leader Eduardo Cordero told the Times, “We will not be putting our members in any kind of danger or any situation that would provoke trouble... At the same time, the company still has to provide a service." more ›

With their contract expiring at midnight tomorrow night, members of the Local 32 BJ union are ready to strike. And while they've been accused of crying wolf, union leaders say they're serious this time. "The steps we're taking for a possible strike are definitely beyond what we've done in the past," said Matt Nerzig of 32 BJ told the Daily News. He said the plan includes shoring up $10 million to cover strike pay and other related costs. The strike would encompass 30,000 workers, and affect over 1 million residents in every borough except the Bronx. more ›

The 32 BJ building workers union and the Realty Advisory Board have been in accelerated contract negotiations since Thursday, but they are reportedly still "far apart" on ideas for the new contract. The current contract expires on April 21st, and if the two sides don't settle on things like wages, health care and sick days, more than 30,000 building workers across the city will strike. Howard Rothschild of the RAB told Businessweek they are "committed to negotiating continually—around the clock, if necessary—to reach an agreement before midnight Tuesday." more ›

After Monday's march down Park Avenue yielded no deals, the city's building workers are coming even closer to striking. The deadline for a new contract deal between the Realty Advisory Board and 32BJ is April 21st, and a strike of 30,000 workers would affect every borough except the Bronx. 32BJ Executive Vice President Kevin Doyle told NY1, "Unfortunately there's going to be an incredible disruption to the daily lives of the people of New York City. We want to avoid that but it unquestionably would be a disruption." more ›

High-rise residents might want to watch out for the threatened doorman strike, or maybe just be a little nicer to the guys carrying their groceries, because doormen are on the Internet! New York Magazine has a whole feature today on building workers who decide not to keep their resident's indiscretions a secret. more ›

Thousands of unionized doormen and other apartment workers voted last night to authorize a strike later in the month, potentially leaving New Yorkers everywhere (or just on the Upper East Side) to sign for their own packages, pick up their own laundry and find other building workers to fall in love with. Though doormen in Brooklyn and Queens approved the measure earlier this week, workers in Manhattan approved the measure last night, authorizing a strike if negotiations can't create a new four-year contract by 12:01 a.m. on April 21. Union 32 BJ president Mike Fishman said in a press release, "Today’s strike vote shows we’re determined to keep our city a place that working families can afford to call home." The biggest issues are wages, health benefits, sick days and overtime, according to 1010Wins. more ›

Thousands of commercial office workers, such as janitors and doormen, voted to strike on January 1 if building owners do not agree to give them raises. The workers, part of Service Employees International Union's Local 32BJ union, believe that building owners can afford to give them "significant raises" because owners have been benefiting from high rents. However, the owners says the economy is too shaky to give them raises. Members of the union marched from... more ›

Hoorah! The union representing doormen, porters, and other apartment building workers came to a and building owners' management have struck a tentative deal late last night, keeping the workers on the job today. (When we checked to see what happened at midnight, they announced there was an agreement, but there would be a press conference around 2 or 3AM!) Workers will get raises of 8.5% over four years (but they won't kick in until the second half of the first year), and their health and pensions will remain unchanged (though there is a cap on medical costs during the last 2 years). Also, this contract would be for four, instead of three years, which makes both sides happy (though the union had wanted a five year contract): Union president Mike Fishman said, "We've achieved what we wanted to achieve. We've made compromises, but we think it's a good agreement for all of us," which the Realty Advisory Board's James Berg said, "I think this agreement will serve both the employers and the employees and provide us with four years of stability." more ›

...but the president of the union said that there was a "good possibility" of a strike during an afternoon press conference, according to the NY Times. Union Local 32BJ and Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations are arguing over contributions to health care (the union doesn't want to contribute 15% of health premiums) and pay (the building owners want a pay freeze) for a year. And while buildings are saying they pay thousands towards healthcare, the unions and their supporters point out how wealthy these buildings are during this hot real estate market. Negotiations are happening at the midtown Sheraton; the deadline is midnight tonight. more ›

Residents in buildings with doormen, porters, and supers are getting jittery as the doorman's union and management are far apart in the new contract negotiations. However, the Realty Advisory Board (aka management) says that having different views is par for the course and that there's room to negotiate. The big sticking point for the union, Local 32BJ, is that management wants them to pay for 15% of their health care premiums, saying that the real estate business has been doing so well, management can afford to cover it. A reader told us that her doorman said negotiations were really bad, that this was the worst he'd seen it in 10+years...but the union seemed to be hinting that they might be willing to pay a small percentage of health care. more ›