City Council bill, which would make car washes get a license, comes after accusations of labor law violations
City lawmakers say they hope to clean up New York’s car wash industry — by making operators follow the same licensing rules as tow truck companies, garages and more than 50 other businesses.
“I was actually surprised when I learned that car washes don’t need any license from the city in order to operate,” said City Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito (D-Manhattan).
“It’s just creating these steps to get this industry in line. It’s been demonstrated consistently that car wash operators have been in violation of labor laws.”
On Wednesday, Mark-Viverito plans to introduce the Car Wash Accountability Act, which would require all city washes to get a yearly license from the city Consumer Affairs Department.
The penalty for operating without a license would be $200 a day, maxing out at $15,000.
In order to be licensed, car wash operators would have to share details of ownership, show they comply with city, state and federal laws and get a bond to cover any unpaid fines or damages.
“This is an industry that seems to have a remarkable capacity to violate the law,” said Deborah Axt of Make the Road New York.
She said a licensing bill would be a good first step.
“It seems like a no-brainer to us,” Axt said.
Immigrant workers have been speaking out about low pay and harsh conditions at local car washes as part of a campaign by Axt’s group and New York Communities for Change.
The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union is also trying to organize the workers.
*Taxi Workers Alliance, Machinists Union call upon drivers to boycott carwashes where workers are being abused *
April 11, NOON, Westside Highway Car Wash, 638 West 47th Street, New York, NY
WHAT: New York City taxi workers and black car drivers are helping the WASH NY campaign being conducted by Make the Road New York and New York Communities for Change to pressure car wash owners to improve conditions in an industry plagued by rampant wage and hour violations, and unsafe working conditions. The drivers will be joined by car wash workers, as well as community activists and union leaders. Workers will be available for interviews and English translation will be provided.
WHO:
Bhairavi Desai, Executive Director, New York City Taxi Workers Alliance;
Jim Conigliaro, Directing Business Representative, International Association of Machinists (IAM) District 15;
Stuart Appelbaum, President, Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU, UFCW);
Car wash workers, community activists, and representatives of WASH New York.
WHERE: Westside Highway Car Wash, 638 West 47th Street, New York, NY
WHEN: Wednesday, April 11, NOON.
City paid Lage Management Corp. $170G for cleanings despite investigation alleging it cheated workers out of wages
City agencies are spending big money prettying up official vehicles at a car wash empire that is currently being investigated for alleged dirty labor practices, the Daily News has learned.
The city has paid Lage Management Corp. more than $170,000 for car cleanings since 2010, including $12,207 in the last three months, says Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, who wants the business relationship to stop.
“It’s better to have a dirty car than a dirty conscience,” argued de Blasio, who has written to Mayor Bloomberg to demand an immediate end to city use of dozens of Lage car washes in the five boroughs.
Pro-labor coalition calls out employers who discourage organizing among workers
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Sutphin Blvd. Car Wash in Jamaica, the tour’s third stop, was called out for alleged mistreatment of workers in March in a report commissioned by WASH New York, a coalition of labor and community groups.
Sutphin is part of a chain of car washes operated by Fernando Magalhaes, who was subpoenaed earlier this month by state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman for wage and hour violations, and unsafe working conditions. Read more.
Media Contacts:
Hilary Klein (Spanish/English). hilary.klein@maketheroadny.org. 347.423.8277
Olivia Leirer. oleirer@nycommunities.org. 646.479.3426
Car Wash Workers Demand Better Treatment, Condemn Retaliations at a Dirty Car Wash in Queens Under Investigation by the NY Attorney General’s Office
*Escalation of Car Wash Workers’ Campaign, Following AG Car Wash Probe, Revelations of Mistreatment and Abuse*
March 29, 10 a.m., Sutphin Car Wash, 9731 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, Queens
WHAT: Car wash workers will confront managers at the Sutphin Car Wash in Jamaica, Queens, and demand better treatment and condemn recent retaliations from management, which have included reduced hours and verbal threats. Sutphin Car Wash is part of a chain of car washes operated by Fernando Magalhaes, who was subpoened earlier this month by Attorney General Eric Schneiderman following revelations of wage and hour violations, and unsafe working conditions. Car wash workers will be joined by community activists and elected officials in this direct action. Workers will be available for interviews and English translation will be provided.
WHO: Car wash workers, community activists, City Councilman James Sanders, and representatives of WASH New York.
WHERE: Sutphin Car Wash, 9731 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, Queens
WHEN: Thursday, March 29, 10.a.m.
TRANSPORTATION: Take the E/J/Z to Sutphin Blvd.
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About WASH New York: Workers Aligned for a Sustainable and Healthy New York
WASH New York is a campaign fighting for greater workplace justice, health, and safety in New York City’s car wash industry. To learn more, visit www.washnewyork.org and connect with the campaign on Tumblr, Twitter, and Facebook for the latest news, updates, and calls to action.
Stepping up their campaign to improve working conditions, workers and organizers will take aim at a car-wash chain that’s been in trouble before.
A car wash operator who three years ago paid $3.4 million to settle charges that it underpaid workers has become the top target of a campaign to improve working conditions in the industry.
Workers and organizers will zero in Friday on Lage Management Corp., the Pelham-based parent of about 20 car washes in the New York City area, to pressure owner John Lage to negotiate with them.
Workers at Lage-owned car washes say management routinely skirts minimum wage and overtime laws, even though the company agreed in a 2009 consent judgment with the federal government to not violate the Fair Labor Standards Act’s minimum-wage, overtime and recordkeeping requirements.
Workers have been threatened with reduction in hours at one car wash in Queens for speaking out, the organizers said.
The report, “The Dirty Business of Cleaning NYC’s Cars,” cites that workers receive low pay, poor treatment from their bosses and face hazardous working conditions. For example, the report notes that, based on interviews with 89 city car washers at 29 different car wash facilities, “Over 71 percent of the workers were on the job for at least 60 hours a week, with some working as many as 105 hours. Despite the long hours, 75 percent of the workers didn’t receive any kind of overtime pay for exceeding 40 hours.” Read the full story.
Standing in front of the Metro Car Wash in Rego Park, Queens, Tuesday a few dozen car wash workers, union activists, and a couple of city council members kicked off a campaign to organize workers and improve conditions at the almost 200 car washes across New York City.
David de la Cruz Perez says this effort is necessary. He emigrated from Guatemala five years ago, and he makes $5.50 an hour working at a car wash on Sutphin Boulevard in Queens. But, he says, managers raid the tip jar to fix customer vehicles. Speaking through a translator from Make the Road New York, Perez says: “From the tips they take out anything – if a mirror breaks, if an antenna breaks, they take it out from our tips.” Read more.
