Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh cleaners rally for contract, wage increase

PITTSBURGH — Contract negotiations are underway between Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh and their commercial cleaners.

The workers said they are only being offered pennies on the dollar even though they risked their lives working during the pandemic.

Commercial cleaners and other Service Employees International Union union members rallied outside of the Carnegie Museum in Oakland, fighting for what they call a fair living wage.

The workers said they are among the lowest-paid cleaners in Pittsburgh and now they say they’re only being offered small wage increases.

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Pittsburgh mayoral candidate Ed Gainey was on hand, in support of the cleaners.

“All of us put ourselves at risk to make sure the children are safe to come in,” said commercial cleaner Andrew Stewart.

The contract extension for 25 members of SEIU union branch 32BJ expired in May.

“They took a pay freeze last year in the middle of the pandemic. They are some of the lowest paid cleaners in the entire city of Pittsburgh,” said Sam Williamson, member of SEIU 32BJ.

The only sticking point in contract negotiations is wages.

Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh sent Channel 11 a statement saying, “We have a long-standing, constructive relationship with the SEIU, marked by a series of fair and amicably negotiated contracts. We are currently in negotiations with the SEIU and have a proposal on the table for the union to consider.”

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