Chicago Mayor Faces Backlash Over City Hall Janitor Layoffs

Johnson administration blames budget cuts, but aldermen argue there were other ways to find savings.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration has pinned the recent layoffs of nine City Hall custodians on budget cuts passed by aldermen against the mayor's wishes. However, aldermen have pushed back, arguing the mayor's team should have found savings elsewhere instead of targeting "the lowest of the lowest positions." The situation has sparked the latest budget dispute between the mayor and City Council.

Why it matters

The janitor layoffs highlight the ongoing tensions between Mayor Johnson and the aldermen over budget priorities and implementation. The dispute raises questions about how the city can find efficiencies without resorting to job cuts, especially for lower-wage workers, and the broader challenges of the city's budget process.

The details

Mayor Johnson's administration says the layoffs are tied to a $12 million reduction in the budget for the Department of Fleet and Facility Management, which was inspired by a cost-cutting report the mayor commissioned. However, aldermen like Gilbert Villegas argue the report did not specifically recommend janitor layoffs and that the mayor's team should have found savings elsewhere. Villegas and others have pushed for using technology to find efficiencies, but the mayor's team says there are no short-term savings from new tech that could yield the necessary cost reductions.

  • The mayor's budget recommendations published in October included the spending cut that led to the layoffs.
  • The layoffs of nine custodians represented by the Service Employees International Union Local 1 were first reported by NBC 5 Chicago in February 2026.

The players

Mayor Brandon Johnson

The mayor of Chicago whose administration has pinned the janitor layoffs on budget cuts passed by the City Council.

Ald. Gilbert Villegas

A Chicago alderman who has pushed back against the layoffs, arguing the mayor's team should have found savings elsewhere instead of targeting "the lowest of the lowest positions."

A&R Janitorial Services

The company that employed the custodians who were laid off from City Hall.

Ernst & Young

The consulting firm that provided a report to the mayor's office with recommendations to find efficiencies, which inspired the budget cuts leading to the layoffs.

Service Employees International Union Local 1

The union representing the nine custodians who were laid off from City Hall.

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What they’re saying

“We're talking about the lowest of the lowest positions. You're telling me that there's no other areas that you can cut?”

— Ald. Gilbert Villegas, 36th Ward Alderman (Chicago Tribune)

“There are no short-term savings from any technology that could yield the cost reductions necessary to reach the departmental goals set in this budget. Implementing new technologies adds additional costs in the short term as well.”

— Cassio Mendoza, Spokesperson for Mayor Brandon Johnson (Chicago Tribune)

What’s next

Aldermen have vowed to take more control of the budget process next year, especially as they question how the mayor is implementing their plans. They are also pushing the mayor's administration to make the full $260 million pension payment that was included in the budget they passed.

The takeaway

The janitor layoffs highlight the ongoing power struggle between Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago City Council over budget priorities and implementation. The dispute raises broader questions about how the city can find efficiencies without resorting to job cuts, especially for lower-wage workers, and the challenges of the city's budget process.