Published: September 17, 2008

A labor union is charging the company that cleans the Fairfax County Government Center with unfair labor practices after managers threatened to fire employees who attempted to unionize.

Local 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union filed the charge Tuesday against Golden Gate Services Inc., which has a cleaning contract with several Fairfax County facilities, including the Herrity Building, Pennino Building and the Department of Housing’s Housing Center, SEIU Communications Manager Julie Karant said.

Golden Gate Services did not return calls for comment.

The complaint says the company abused its authority and intimidated employees with the threat of dismissal and reduced pay after they agreed to unionize.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, which meets in the Government Center and whose members did not return calls for comment, approved a living wage of $12.75 per hour in September 2007 and had urged all county vendors to do so as well.

However, Golden Gate Services, which cleans the building, still pays its cleaners as little as $7 per hour, according to Karant.

“Even with a second job, it’s difficult to pay my bills on Golden Gate’s wages,” said Ricardo Quintanilla, a father of two from Reston who has worked for Golden Gate for eight years.

“We’re not going to stop until the Northern Virginia market is organized, and Golden Gate needs to come to terms with that,” said Local 32BJ Capital Area Director Jaime Contreras.

“Golden Gate should get in line with responsible companies that treat workers with respect and just compensation.”