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By Linh Tat Daily Bruin Contributor Protesters coming from three different directions converged on Wilshire Boulevard for a single goal Friday afternoon: to raise public awareness about the ongoing labor dispute between janitors and contractors.

Continuing a two-week strike demanding wage increases and more benefits, an estimated 2,000 protesters marched down Wilshire Boulevard, which ended with the arrest of 35 demonstrators - including government officials.

Demonstrators took over Wilshire Boulevard and blocked traffic for several hours, forcing motorists to find alternate ways to reach their destinations.

The demonstration was part of a series of protests that have gone on around the city for the past two weeks.

Among those arrested Friday were State Assembly members Gil Cedillo, Scott Wildman and Gloria Romero; Los Angeles Councilwoman Jackie Goldberg; Santa Monica Councilman Paul Rosenstein, clergymen and labor union officials, said Blanca Gallegos, spokeswoman for the Service Employees International Union.

The protesters belong to Chapter 1877 of the SEIU, a janitor's union in L.A. Negotiations for a new contract are ongoing, with janitors asking for a three-year contract with an annual $1 per hour wage increase. The last time janitors had a contract renewed was in 1995.

Even though no violence erupted from Friday's crowd, Lt. Horace Frank of the Los Angeles Police Department said the events that transpired were disruptive.

"It's never peaceful when you make arrests," Frank said Friday evening. "We would have hoped that people would vacate the intersection once the dispersal orders were given."

The protest was meant to elicit public support for the janitors, union members said.

"So many (civic) leaders risked arrest to demonstrate their commitment to the janitors' struggle," Gallegos said.

Gallegos said the problems janitors face is a class struggle. They contend that janitors are part of a growing economy, but only corporate leaders are earning more money.

"The national and city economies are really strong. However, not everyone is benefiting from them," Gallegos said.

"The janitors help maintain many of the buildings of these corporations that are enjoying this prosperity, and they help maintain the growth of the city," she continued.

Contractors and representatives of the union met Thursday in downtown L.A., but talks broke down after hours of negotiating failed to lead to any formal resolutions.

"We're still a long ways apart," Dick Davis, chief negotiator for the 18 cleaning contractors told the Associated Press. "They're refusing to budge."

At the forefront of negotiations is the union's demand that all janitors be paid the same, regardless of where they work, union members said. Wages for janitorial workers in the county currently range from $6.90 to $7.80 an hour.

"There are different standards of pay for janitors depending on where you are in L.A. County," said Gideon Kracov, who is part of the Jewish Labor Committee.

"Other than Century City and downtown L.A., areas like Pasedena, Glendale, Westwood and Long Beach are not receiving the same raise," he said.

Steve Trevor, an employee at Oppenheimer Towers, agreed there should be a wage increase for janitors.

"(Employers) should just give them their dollar," Trevor said. "They work with very dangerous chemicals and their bosses don't care."

Janitors are also demanding a policy that would allow workers to continue having insurance coverage if they miss work. The current contract denies workers this coverage for a month if they miss even one day of work that month, said janitor Edeth Reyes.

Union members said their demands are rational.

"The only thing we want is justice. The owners are being so stubborn," said Jobita Ramirez, one of the protest organizers.

About 150 law enforcement officers from the LAPD were present among the crowd, including helicopters. Some of the officers lined Wilshire Boulevard near Oppenheimer Tower by the time protesters marching from Lindbrook Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard converged near Westwood Boulevard.

Protesters then marched westbound down Wilshire Boulevard to Midvale Avenue and staged a sit-down, where they chanted in Spanish.

Even after Captain Ken Hillman read the order to disperse, 35 individuals remained sitting in a circle in the intersection of Midvale Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard. All 35 were arrested and charged with failure to disperse by 3:25 p.m. The crowd began to thin out by 3:30 p.m.

Frank said the LAPD responded appropriately to the scene.

"Our actions were in accordance with the law," he said. "We accomplished our objective, which was to take control of the situation and restore order as safely and expeditiously as possible."

Gallegos, however, said the people arrested were treated unfairly. She said the mayor had initially said they would be released sooner, but the West L.A. captain decided to transport them to Twin Towers, the jailhouse in downtown L.A before they were released late Friday night.

"The police are trying to deter janitors from moving forward with their plans," Gallegos are. "However, janitors are going to escalate their efforts."

With reports from Timothy Kudo, Daily Bruin Staff.