Connecticut Museum Workers Reinstated After Year-Long Labor Dispute

The long-running labor dispute involving cleaning workers at the Connecticut Science Center in Hartford has finally ended in a settlement. The agreement restores jobs, wages, and benefits to five displaced employees.

After nearly a year of rallies, legal action, and public pressure led by SEIU Local 32BJ, the cleaners will return to work with full seniority. This case drew attention from workers and labor advocates across Connecticut—from Hartford to New Haven, Bridgeport, Stamford, Waterbury, New Britain, Norwalk, and Middletown.

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Labor Agreement Reached After Nearly a Year of Tension

The dispute started when the Connecticut Science Center switched its cleaning contractor from Service Management Group to Burgos Cleaning Services LLC. That move meant five unionized cleaners lost their jobs, which triggered an immediate response from SEIU Local 32BJ.

The job loss affected only a handful of workers directly. Still, the implications echoed across the state’s unionized workforce, especially in cities like Hartford and New Haven where contracted building services are everywhere.

Union Targets Contractor, Not the Science Center

SEIU Local 32BJ made it clear—their conflict was with Burgos Cleaning Services, not the Science Center itself. The union claimed the workers got removed because of their union status and experience under the previous contractor.

To push back, the union filed an unfair labor practice complaint with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). They argued the workers faced discrimination based on their union membership and activity.

Jobs, Wages, and Benefits Fully Restored

As part of the settlement, all five displaced cleaners will return to their jobs at the Hartford museum. This isn’t just symbolic; the deal restores their full seniority, wages, and benefits, putting them right back where they were before the contractor switch.

For workers in other Connecticut communities—whether in Stamford’s office towers or Bridgeport’s commercial buildings—this outcome sends a strong message. Union-backed jobs can still be defended, even when contractors change.

A Victory Built on Persistent Public Pressure

Throughout the dispute, SEIU Local 32BJ kept up a public campaign. The union organized:

Rallies outside the Connecticut Science Center and at public spots in Hartford

Petitions signed by residents in cities like Waterbury and New Britain

Social media campaigns aimed at Burgos Cleaning Services and raising awareness statewide

This multi-pronged approach kept the issue visible—not just in Hartford, but across Connecticut’s labor community.

Voices From the Front Lines

Rochelle Palache, SEIU’s vice president and state director, pointed out that the cleaners’ work is essential to keeping the Science Center safe and welcoming. Families, school groups, and visitors from all over the state—from Norwalk to Middletown and beyond—rely on them.

She emphasized that these aren’t “invisible” jobs. They’re frontline roles that keep the environment clean and healthy for thousands of people who pass through the facility every year.

Worker Gratitude and Community Support

One of the workers, Juan Carlos Rodriguez, publicly thanked the union and the community for supporting the cleaners during the long dispute. He credited the settlement to collective support from fellow union members and residents who signed petitions, showed up at rallies, or spoke out online.

Rodriguez’s comments reflect a broader feeling among service workers from Hartford to Bridgeport. Solidarity still matters, and organized labor can make a real difference in protecting jobs.

SEIU Local 32BJ’s Wider Reach in Connecticut

This case also reminds us how big and influential SEIU Local 32BJ really is. The union represents about 5,000 members in Connecticut, and some 185,000 workers across 11 states and Washington, D.C.

Many of them are cleaners, security officers, and building service employees. In cities across the state—Hartford, New Haven, Stamford, Norwalk, Waterbury, New Britain, Bridgeport, and Middletown—32BJ members keep office buildings, schools, museums, and other facilities up and running. Reliable cleaning and maintenance? It’s easy to forget how much we depend on it, until something like this happens.

What This Settlement Means for Connecticut Workers

Restoring five jobs in Hartford is a big deal, but there’s more to it. The settlement really speaks to workers all over Connecticut—urban or suburban—reminding everyone that switching contractors doesn’t just wipe out union rights.

It shows how legal action, public support, and union organizing can work together to protect people’s jobs. I mean, it’s not every day you see all those forces lining up on the same side.

This whole thing at the Connecticut Science Center will probably become a go-to example for future contract shakeups. I wouldn’t be surprised if folks from Hartford to Stamford look back on it when they’re handling similar situations.

Here is the source article for this story: Employees win back jobs after year-long dispute involving work at CT museum

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