Gender and citizenship in the restructuring of janitorial work in Los Angeles

The author examines intersections of gender and citizenship with a study of building services janitors in Los Angeles County. Changes in the industry using 1970, 1980, and 1990 censuses, union reports, and field work are analyzed. The author finds that restructuring facilitated the entrance of Latinas into janitorial work. In Los Angeles County in the 1980s, building managers switched from employing union janitors to contracted, nonunion janitors. The contractors hired Latina/o immigrants to do the lower-paid, restructured work. The share of Mexican and Salvadoran women increased during the 1980s. In addition, Mexican and Salvadoran women moved into janitorial work at higher rates than men. Furthermore, Latinas who arrived during the 1980s entered janitorial work at higher rates than the 1970s arrivals.