Essential Workers At 5 NJ Buildings Strike: ‘Can’t Make A Living’

JERSEY CITY, NJ — Essential workers at five luxury buildings in North Jersey staged a 24-hour strike on Thursday, alleging that they’re underpaid and being put at risk as the new coronavirus spreads across the state.

The workers are employed with Planned Companies, a Parsippany-based building services contractor. They’re represented by labor union SEIU 32BJ.

Donning face masks and purple bandannas – and keeping social distancing in mind – the workers chanted “No threats, no bribes, we're fighting for our lives!" and held up signs saying “Quality Health Care Now” and “On Strike over Planned’s Unfair Labor Practices.”

The walkout included dozens of employees who help run Washington Towers and Ambassador Towers in East Orange, The Cliffs in Jersey City, Galaxy Towers in Guttenberg, and Towne Centre in Englewood.

According to a statement from SEIU 32BJ:

“The workers are protesting long-time mistreatment by the company, which they say has violated their rights to join a union, intimidated them and has denied them essential pay and benefits that are standard for the industry. And as the COVID-19 pandemic has raged, some say the company has also made it difficult for them to take sick days to care for themselves or family members, and has not provided them with adequate personal protective equipment.”

Union spokespeople added:

“Some workers said they were especially upset when they learned about the death last week of a porter in a Jersey City building where Planned employs building service staff. Other workers at the building were told by the employer to go home to quarantine, but at first were not offered paid time off for those days, and were only granted them after pressuring the employer.”

A spokesperson for Planned Companies called the strike a "publicity stunt" and said the company's employees have the proper personal protective equipment to remain safe from the coronavirus. (Read the full statement below)

'I CAN'T SAY I'M MAKING A LIVING'

“We’ve been told we’re essential workers,” said Michael Mohrle, 48, who has worked as concierge at Towne Center in Englewood for nine years. “But right now, I can’t say I’m making a living.”

Mohrle said he makes $14.50 an hour and lives with his elderly parents because he can’t afford a place of his own.

“I worry every day that going back and forth to work puts not just me, but my parents at risk to catch the virus,” Mohrle said. “We’ve been given disinfectant wipes but not much beyond that. We cannot wait any longer to be treated right. We need Planned to give us respect, the wages we deserve as essential workers, and access to affordable health care.”

“In the best of times, going on strike is an extreme step, one that workers take when they have exhausted all their options to resolve issues they have with their employers,” said Kevin Brown, SEIU 32BJ vice president.

“The workers [who went on strike Thursday] are essential to keep these large, luxury residential buildings running and safe,” Brown charged. “But they are not being treated with the respect that essential workers deserve.”

Several elected officials supported the workers and their protest.

Hudson County Freeholder Bill O’Dea – “Planned workers are on the frontlines of this crisis. As many residents remain sheltering in place, these workers are making sure that people get their packages, that their trash gets taken out, among other vital and essential work. I am honored to stand with residential workers in Hudson County who are protesting their employer’s illegal practices and demanding fair pay and decent benefits.”

Jersey City Councilman-at-large Rolando Lavarro – “Jersey City has been especially hard by the COVID crisis. Nobody has faced the severity of the battle against COVID like the essential workers who remain on the job and keep our city clean, safe, and functioning. Now more than ever, I support the Planned workers in their fight for dignity and voice on the job. They deserve to be compensated justly for the critical work they do every day.”

Jersey City Councilman Jermaine Robinson – “It is unjust for frontline workers to be treated so poorly, especially in the midst of the COVID crisis. The men and women who are taking action today are putting their lives on the line to make sure residence in Jersey City are safe and looked after. We must do right by them and ensure that have the pay and benefits they deserve. I will stand with them until they achieve justice.”

PLANNED COMPANIES: 'A PUBLICITY STUNT

Ben Martin, a spokesperson for Planned Companies, offered Patch the following statement about Thursday’s strike:

“Planned Companies believes Thursday’s strikes were a carefully orchestrated publicity stunt by SEIU 32BJ. They continue to use this health emergency to proliferate an agenda of operational disruption and muscle-flexing in the name political and financial gain. With our employees as a main priority, we have ensured that our employees have the proper personal protective equipment and we are continually sourcing additional supplies to ensure they remain protected throughout the course of the emergency. Furthermore, Planned Companies’ executive leadership will soon launch an emergency relief fund to support employees that have been deeply affected.”

Martin added:

“Both now and before the current public health emergency, SEIU 32BJ has been aggressively pushing their agenda, making demands without having any accountability in the process. They are interested in gaining more members for monthly dues but have no skin in the game when it comes to paying for what they are promoting, leaving our clients and our organization to foot the bill.”

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