SEARCH
Carwash Workers Win Big Victory in NLRB Settlement |
|
 |
||||
|
||||
Carwash workers in Los Angeles won a major victory in their struggle for better working conditions and decent pay. Today, the workers reached a formal settlement in their National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) complaint against Vermont Hand Wash, one of the area’s most notorious anti-worker car washes.
As a result of the settlement, Vermont’s owners must pay more than $50,000 in back pay to workers who were illegally fired for union activity.
The NLRB issued the complaint in late May alleging that Vermont’s management targeted and then fired three workers because they sought to form a union. According to the complaint, among other retaliatory acts, Vermont management cut the hours of union supporters or assigned them less desirable duties and unplugged the time clock when union supporters picketed the carwash, resulting in a loss of wages to workers on the job.
The complaint identifies one manager, Manuel Reyes, who, it says, threatened employees on multiple occasions with bullets, a machete and a combat knife. The NLRB also charged Reyes with similarly threatening two union organizers with a side-handle billy club in front of carwash employees.
After the full NLRB’s likely approval of the settlement, the decision will have the same effect as a board order and will be backed by an enforcement decree from a federal appeals court. That means Vermont’s owners, the Pirian brothers, could face jail time if they violate the settlement.
The settlement prohibits Vermont Hand Wash from committing any of the violations they already have committed, as well as any other violations of the National Labor Relations Act.
Vermont Hand Wash worker Pedro Guzman, who will receive $1,650 back pay under the deal, told a rally last week the workers suffered retaliation and intimidation by the owner, Benny Pirian, when they tried to form a union.
He took us into his office and interrogated us about our union activities. And he even offered to compensate me if I would work on his side against the union and my companeros. But I would never do that. Our struggle continues with the incredible support from unions, students, faith groups, old people, and young people, all of them willing to come out and sweat under the sun to show us their solidarity.
Before the rally, Vermont’s owners pressured a billboard company to take down a sign with the message: “Wash Away Injustice! Support Carwash Workers.”
At the rally, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney told the crowd the carwash workers’ struggle is a perfect example of why the Employee Free Choice Act is needed: These workers have gone through hell trying to form a union to win just living standards.
No worker should face that treatment in this country we share. In America, every worker should enjoy freedom of speech and freedom of association.
In America, every corporation should be held accountable to the law. In America, every worker should be free to join a union and bargain for a better life.
Last year, the mostly immigrant car wash workers throughout Los Angeles formed the Carwash Workers Organizing Committee (CWOC) to raise their standard of living, secure basic workplace protections and address the serious environmental and safety hazards in their industry. In March 2008, CWOC joined with the United Steelworkers (USW) as part of the CLEAN Carwash Campaign.
4 Comments
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
I have only one question. Are these ‘immigrant’ car wash workers legal? If not, GO HOME! If so, congratulations!
A quote in the article says: “In America, every corporation should be held accountable to the law. In America, every worker should be free to join a union and bargain for a better life”.
I agree with this statement but would like to add to it. Every employer in America who knowingly uses illegal workers should have their business license revoked. To protect employers from that fate EVERY employer should be REQUIRED to use E-Verify. It works. It’s 99.9% effective. And it protects LEGAL American workers! And that’s GOOD for America. Illegals are NOT.
Ya right, now you say illegals are not good for America, after the Mexican immigrants were used to build the railroad infra-structure of California at the turn of the century. And the California Agribusiness Corporations were not complaining as millions of Mexican farmworkers and children toiled in the sun to make California one of the biggest economies of the world. During the Pre-farmworkers union days not only were they paying us slave wages,they got away with spraying DDT while our families were still in the fields.( I remember this as a 9-year old farmworker child).
Even today, do you think these same ranch owners are honest about checking the backgound of their workers? You are as disrespectful and greedy as are the California Railroad and Agriculture Corporations.
Recently,these corporations in California have just sat back quietly as the Mexican-American community has had to endure cruel and ugly political expressions against their heritage and culture. Shame on the ugly Americans. Shame on the greedy California Agribusiness.
I’m not just NOW saying illegals aren’t good for this country. I’ve always said it. If a person is in this country illegally they are breaking our laws by their very presence here. And ANYONE who breaks our laws is NOT good for OUR country. Be they an illegal or not. If a person wants to live ‘the American dream’ in the USA then they need to come here LEGALLY. Don’t come here illegally and expect to be welcomed. Because, believe me, if you do come here illegally you will NOT be welcomed. EVER!
Fifty thousand dollar fine and probation? That’s all for criminal intimidation and human rights violations? That is unjust and unfortunately, NOT a union victory. The Pirian brothers are very fortunate and the car wash industry just got the green light to continue the abuse.