Janitors' Labor Deal Seen As 'Reasonable'

Kevin Troutman, a partner in the Houston office, was quoted in the August 10 Houston Chronicle article "Janitors' Labor Deal Seen As 'Reasonable.'" The article reported that the Service Employees International Union, which represents 3,200 janitors who clean large office buildings in Houston, reached a tentative agreement that would give janitors a cumulative 12 percent pay raise over the next four years. The agreement came after several weeks of intermittent strikes and sit-down protests, which resulted in arrests and traffic jams. Kevin noted, "We've been fortunate here to have a better economy than other parts of country, but it seems to be a deal that reflects the economic realities of the time and that the economic future remains murky."