Richmond janitors strike over low pay, benefits: ‘Just because I’m a cleaner, doesn’t make me less of a person’

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- More than 150 janitors contracted through the City of Richmond took to the streets Tuesday, striking over low wages and poor working conditions. "Workers have said enough is enough," said 32BJ SEIU Legion Executive Vice President Jaime Contreras. "The only way for us to fix that is to organize into our unions so we can bargain collectively.” The workers are employed by NuTech Cleaning Systems and contracted with City Hall to clean city buildings. Contreras is advocating for these janitors as a union representative. "They hire these workers to do this job at very low wages, as little as $15 or less per hour," he said. "These workers have no benefits, like sick days or vacation, or raises every year -- or even healthcare." Contreras said three workers were fired in Nov. 2024 after attempting to unionize -- something that, if accurate, is illegal under federal law. Since then, the union representative said things have only gotten worse, leading to Tuesday's strike. Dems propose bill to allow all public workers in Virginia to collectively bargain “Just because I’m a cleaner, doesn't make me less of a person," said Priscilla Peebles, a NuTech janitorial cleaner who has been with the company for six years. NuTech janitors go on strike in Richmond for better wages and benefits. (Photo: 8News)NuTech janitors go on strike in Richmond for better wages and benefits. (Photo: 8News)NuTech janitors go on strike in Richmond for better wages and benefits. (Photo: 8News) Peebles said she is fighting for better pay and more benefits, especially after being directly impacted when she had to take time off for a medical reason without pay. “It was excruciating,” Peebles said. “I worked until I wasn’t able to work anymore because my knees were hurting so bad. I just couldn’t afford to take the time off to get them done until I just couldn’t walk anymore.” 8News reached out to NuTech for a statement on the strike and the claim that it fired employees for attempting to unionize. "We did not engage in any unfair labor practices whatsoever," the company said in response. State Senate blocks proposal to amend constitution including ‘right-to-work’ law Contreras said his union has reached out to NuTech multiple times and gotten no response. In an emailed statement to 8News, Richmond's Office of Strategic Communications and Civic Engagement said that "the City recognizes that employees have the right to engage in protected concerted activity under applicable workplace laws." “Virginia shouldn't just be for lovers," Contreras said. "Virginia should be for workers and it should be for unions.”