House passes the Fair Compensation for Low-Wage Contractor Employees Act of 2019, which ensures back compensation for low-wage employees of government contractors affected by 2018-2019 government shutdown.
The following statement is attributable to Hector Figueroa, President of 32BJ SEIU which represents over 600 modestly-paid contracted janitors and security officers who were furloughed and did not receive back wages, unlike direct government employees.
“Thanks to Congresswomen Pressley and Holmes Norton, the House has taken a step in the right direction to undo the damage that the government shutdown inflicted on the working men and women who can least afford it. Contracted janitors and security officers, as well as their families will continue to relive the trauma on a daily basis until they are compensated for 35 days of income. Their shaky finances are already at a breaking point and cannot withstand yet another shutdown looming around the corner. It’s now up to the Senate to rise above Trumpian politics by fulfilling their basic and fundamental duty to serve, not hurt the people whom they were elected to represent.”
With more than 175,000 members in 11 states, including 20,000 in the D.C. Metropolitan Area and Baltimore, MD, 32BJ SEIU is the largest property service workers union in the country.