Janitors at A-B unionize with SEIU Local 1

St. Louis — Janitors at the Anheuser-Busch (A-B) Brewery and Corporate Center who’ve been fighting for union recognition since early October received notice recently that Clean-Tech, a union contractor, will assume control of day-to-day operations beginning Jan. 8, 2024.

After months of organized demonstrations, janitors at A-B will be afforded job protections and benefits via their union contract with Clean-Tech. This tremendous victory for workers comes after Aramark was initially awarded a three-year janitorial services contract by Anheuser-Busch in May, 2023.

Aramark will remain non-union in St. Louis but will subcontract janitorial services to Clean-Tech, in order to avoid a prolonged Labor dispute with SEIU Local 1, which  currently represents approximately 1,800 union janitors throughout the St. Louis metro area, including several hundred janitors employed by Clean-Tech.

“Today is a big day for janitors across St. Louis. AB-InBev is known for its high standards of excellence within the industry,” said Chris Rak, SEIU Local 1 director for Missouri and Southern Illinois. “Now, janitors who help to maintain their flagship brewery and corporate headquarters will finally have access to the type of job protections and benefits that other groups of essential workers at A-B enjoy.”