Janitors in two counties ratify new contract

Janitors in Los Angeles and Orange counties voted overwhelmingly Saturday to ratify a four-year labor contract.

The joint pact, which provides wage and benefit improvements, marks the first time that janitors in both counties will operate under the same contract, said Mike Garcia, president of Service Employees International Union Local 1877, which represents about 20,000 janitors statewide.

About 8,000 janitors are represented by the union in the two-county region; 6,700 will be covered under the new contract. They primarily work in commercial office buildings.

andrea.chang@latimes.com