The existing four-year labor agreement between 32BJ SEIU and the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations (RAB) expires on April 20. If a new contract isn't reached, nearly 34,000 doormen, porters, superintendents, and handypersons could walk off the job as soon as the following morning.

On April 15, union members will hold a formal strike vote at a Park Avenue rally. More than 1,400 strike captains are already in place.

The sticking points are familiar ones. The RAB is asking workers to contribute to health care premiums for the first time, and to accept a lower-paid "Tier II" classification for future hires. The union is calling both proposals non-starters. For context, RAB president Howard Rothschild cited real pressure on the owner side: rent-stabilized buildings are facing a likely 0% rent increase this cycle, and co-op and condo owners are dealing with rising tax burdens and common charges.

The practical impact of a strike would be significant. Residents at 3,500 co-ops, condos, and rental buildings across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island would need to badge in for building access. Renovation work and moves would halt entirely.

The RAB said it respects the union's right to authorize a strike and that all members are preparing for that possibility, while expressing hope that both sides will reach an agreement.

This contract cycle follows a pattern. In 2022, a near-identical showdown over health care premiums and two-tier wages ended without a strike. The same issues resurfaced in the 2023 commercial cleaners' negotiations, which also resolved without a work stoppage. The pattern doesn't guarantee an outcome this time, but it's worth noting: in more than 30 years of negotiations, 32BJ and the RAB have never actually gone on strike.

For buyers considering a co-op or condo purchase, the next few weeks are worth watching. Building operations don't stop because of a work stoppage, but they get more complicated. Managing boards should be communicating contingency plans to residents now.