The president of the union representing doormen, superintendents and janitors in the New York area fired a top staff member who plans to run for the union's presidency.

The union represents doormen, elevator operators, handymen and janitors at hundreds of New York City office and apartment buildings.

The local represents 65,000 doormen, elevator operators and janitors.

"This guy representing doormen and janitors was living like a king on our sweat."

The local represents porters, janitors, handymen and cleaners in 1,200 office and commercial loft buildings in New York.

With a contract deadline six weeks away, the union representing 28,000 doormen, janitors and elevator operators at 3,000 New York City apartment buildings began negotiations yesterday.

On Wednesday, the union representing striking janitors and nine cleaning contractors reached an agreement that would raise wages to $9 an hour.

Mr. Stern's union represents health care workers - including physicians - as well as janitors and security guards, among others.

The service employees' union represents not only health care workers, but janitors, doormen, taxi drivers, government employees and others.

But members of the union local, which represents 55,000 doormen, janitors, repairmen and elevator operators who work in 4,000 office and apartment buildings, disagreed.