NEWARK-New Jersey’s office building cleaners have ratified a new four-year contract agreed upon just days before the December 31, 2011 expiration of its previous deal. Without the agreement, some 7,000 workers around the state would have struck on January 3, affecting some of the most prestigious buildings in the state.

The votes came in meetings at 10 locations around the state, ratifying an agreement between the 32BJ Bargaining Committee and the New Jersey Contractors Association, which represents building cleaning companies. The deal raises workers’ wages by 13% over the life of the contract, and preserves employees’ health care coverage, a major sticking point during negotiations.

“This new contract is an important victory not just for New Jersey building cleaners and their families, but also for our economy and our state,” says Kevin Brown, New Jersey state director for 32BJ, in the ratification announcement. “By raising wages and preserving healthcare coverage, this agreement helps thousands of working families stay on a path out of poverty and keeps our economy on the road to recovery. When working families have more income, they buy more, the economy churns more, and the quality of working families’ lives improves.”