Janitors at Target stores to see new protections in contracts

Minneapolis-based Target says it's working to include new terms in contracts for companies that hire janitors to clean Target stores in the Twin Cities metro.

The janitors don't work directly for Target; the workers organization Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en Lucha has been working with the janitors for years, and they've been in talks with Target for more than a year trying to secure new protections in any future contract Target awards to cleaning companies.

Target isn't disclosing what the new terms are, but CTUL says they include new health and safety protections, along with guarantees that employees won't be required to work seven consecutive days.

Target, in a statement, said it is reiterating its commitments to high standards and complying with the law:

"As a company, we value the importance of listening to the feedback of our guests, vendors, and partners.

As a part of that commitment, Target leaders have been engaging with Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en Lucha (CTUL) to understand questions they had about vendor policies related to the individuals who clean some of Target's Minnesota stores.

Target has always held ourselves, and our vendors, to high ethical standards. As a result of those discussions, we agreed that it was important to reiterate our strong commitment to maintaining high standards and complying with employment laws to our vendors.

As a result of that dialogue, Target is in the process of working to include new terms that support those priorities in our housekeeping vendor contracts."