A coalition of New York City elected officials has condemned the actions of L&J Commercial and Residential Services after the contractor slashed wages and eliminated benefits for cleaning staff at Gertz Plaza Mall in Jamaica late last year.
In an open letter to L&J president Luis Vigoya, the officials criticized the company for its treatment of workers at both Gertz Plaza Mall and Manhattan’s 529 5th Avenue, where L&J also provides cleaning services.
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, alongside other representatives, expressed outrage over the contractor’s decision to cut wages just before the holiday season, calling it a betrayal of hard-working employees who have long served these properties.
The letter was also signed by State Sen. Leroy Comrie, Council Member Dr. Nantasha Williams and Assembly Member Vivian Cook – all representing Jamaica – as well as State Sen. Liz Krueger, Assembly Member Alex Bores and Council Member Keith Powers – all representing Manhattan.
The eight elected officials wrote that Gertz Plaza Mall and 529 5th Ave. had both employed a responsible cleaning contractor for several years before L&J won the contract for both sites. They stated that previous employers provided middle-class wages and benefits to hard-working cleaners.
They said Vigoya’s decision to slash wages and benefits for staff forced individuals to cancel medical procedures and fall behind on rent.
“Your company has slashed wages and benefits for dedicated employees who have spent years servicing the property,” the elected officials wrote in a letter to Vigoya.
They also stated that industry standards have been established in New York through decades of collaboration between owners, contractors, and employees.
“Tens of thousands of New Yorkers have dedicated time and energy to creating a real estate economy where all parties can thrive. Challenging that is dangerous to the entire market.”
The letter also raised concerns about L&J’s business address, stating that many workers attempted to reach the business address on file to speak with Vigoya about the issue but found a residential apartment instead. The workers reported that residents at the Woodside apartment building address claimed not to know Vigoya.
Other L&J workers reported receiving pay stubs that listed a hospital in Hackensack, New Jersey, as the company’s business address.
“For a variety of reasons, it is vital that you are thoroughly transparent with all parties about your address,” the elected officials wrote in the letter to Vigoya. “We hope that you will work to resolve this escalating dispute, ensure that your company adheres to reasonable standards and treat your workers with the respect they deserve.”
This is not the first time that elected officials and workers have raised concerns about L&J.
On Nov. 26, dozens of Queens-based commercial cleaners and security staff held a protest at Gertz Plaza Mall over L&J’s decision to slash wages and benefits.
Organized by 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the protest aimed to spotlight the plight of workers who said they had been unfairly targeted by the new contractor’s policies.
As a symbolic gesture, 32BJ awarded L&J the “Turkey of the Year” award, underscoring the contractor’s actions that workers say have jeopardized their livelihoods. Workers and elected officials alike condemned L&J’s decision to reduce hourly pay from $29 to $16 for cleaning staff at Gertz Plaza Mall.
Cleaning staff and security workers also staged a protest at Gertz Plaza Mall in October before the announcement of the November wage cuts.
In July, meanwhile, five unionized cleaners and a unionized fire safety director who had worked at 529 5th Ave. for decades went on strike to protest L&J Janatorial’s refusal to bargain with 32BJ.
L&J Janitorial took over as a contractor at Fifth City Realty LLC in June and subsequently reduced cleaning wages to $16 per hour. L&J also canceled a number of benefits, while night shift cleaners said their take-home pay was reduced by 60% due to a combination of wage and hour reductions.
Vigoya could not be reached for comment.
