Union Workers Join Non-Union Richmond Janitors In Protest

RICHMOND

Janitors employed by Richmond city contractor, Nu-Tech, are calling on the city to intervene in their claims of employer discrimination. The charges allege that Nu-Tech engaged in unlawful conduct.

In December, the workers delivered a petition to the City of Richmond contracting office to ensure the City of Richmond is aware of the issues that are occurring with one of its subcontractors.

On Tuesday, Jan. 28, the situation escalated when 150 union workers joined Richmond contracted janitors who walked off the job on strike at Richmond City Hall, Social Services, Marshal Plaza and Theater Row.

A recent water crisis in the city brought the current situation to a head. The Nu-Tech janitors said they not only faced issues at home during the recent water crisis, but were not called into work, and do not expect to be paid for those days. Nu-Tech janitors have noted they receive no healthcare, no paid time off, no benefits and earn as little as $15 per hour.

In their letter to the city in December, the workers noted, “We already do not receive pay for sick days or holidays and we cannot afford to lose pay based on a crisis that affected us both at home and at work. We would hope that our employer would stand by us in the moment of crisis and not cause further pain for ourselves and our families in a time of crisis.”

The Richmond Free Press, an African-American newspaper, has been championing the workers’ cause.

Advertisement

“I feel like we’re being treated as slaves, no human should be treated this way,” said Curtis Hinton, a 68-year-old Nu-Tech worker at John Marshall Court. “I’m outside in the freezing cold, and I’ve been hospitalized with severe bronchitis before, but it would be really bad now to pay out of pocket since we don’t get any paid sick leave with too little pay.”

32BJ SEIU Executive Vice President and SEIU Virginia State Council President, Jaime Contreras, said, “By trying to act above the law, Nu-Tech is an outlier that threatens to lower standards for workers and tenants inside Richmond city government buildings who deserve better.”

 “This was my only job, I’m 61 years old and I got no one else to support me,” said Clarissa McGhee who was fired by Nu-Tech in November 2024 despite a doctor’s note for use of a cane after suffering a stroke. “It’s really hard, I’m worried about paying the bills,” said Sharonda Smith, who was also fired by Nu-Tech in November 2024 and lives in a hotel with her family.

Union officials have called on State Lawmakers to urge action on its working-class legislative agenda.

SEIU union workers’ agenda calls for the General Assembly to build a stronger, balanced economy by empowering all public workers — including home care workers — to collectively bargain, investing in better jobs for long-term care workers, raising the hourly minimum wage to at least $15, making sure that taxpayer subsidies for data center projects create good jobs, and supporting affordable health care coverage for workers at Dulles and Reagan National airports.