ROSSLYN, Va. (DC News Now) — With just over a week left on their current contract with the Washington Service Contractors Association, some of the roughly 9,000 commercial office cleaners represented by SEIU Local 32BJ marched and rallied in Northern Virginia, threatening to strike unless their wages get increased.

The union, which represents people across the D.C. metro area, said their employees are struggling to live in the area. They currently make $15 an hour and want increases to match inflation.

A representative with the Washington Service Contractors Association said the two sides are “quite a ways away” on wages, but have had a few “productive sessions.”

Peter Chatilovicz, WSCA’s lead negotiator, said he is “confident, hopeful, and cautiously optimistic,” the two sides can reach a deal.

However, if they do not, the union has voted to authorize a strike, which would be effective on October 16.

“We want the public to know these people exist,” said SEIU Local 32BJ Vice President Jaime Contreras.

That’s why they marched through Rosslyn streets Friday late afternoon, stopping momentarily at a few commercial office buildings to chant.

Among the speakers who spoke at a rally — Tomasa Amaya, who cleans at Kaiser Permanente during the pandemic, and said the risk the workers take does not align with what they are paid.

She told DC News Now both she and many of her fellow cleaners are living “paycheck to paycheck.”

According to the union, they made $15 an hour.

“Most of these workers work two or three jobs to sustain their families,” Contreras said. “That’s just inhumane in the United States of America.”

In addition to workers and union leaders, a few political figures in the region attended the march and rally — including Del. Patrick Hope and Adele McClure, who is running for a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates.

Hope called the workers “the backbone of the economy,” and McClure emphasized their importance — even if the nationwide and regional trend of office-building-conversions continues, with many workers opting to work from home more often.

“They’re always going to need employees to help keep that running regardless if it’s an office building or if it’s an apartment building, whatever it may be,” McClure said.