VIENNA, Va.— Navy Federal Credit Union is facing criticism for allegedly undercutting its janitorial staff by hiring a non-union contractor—a move that's drawn protests, including the use of a giant inflatable rat to spotlight the dispute, FFXnow reported.
Labor union 32BJ SEIUA organized a protest near Navy FCU’s headquarters and trucked in the blow-up rat.
“If they’re going to lose this job or if they’re going to get their wages lowered because they’re going to go with a non-union company, that means they’re going to have less income to put a roof over their family’s head and provide for their children,” 32BJ SEIU Executive Vice President Jaime Contreras told FFXnow. “These are people who already live paycheck to paycheck, and what Navy Federal is doing is wrong.”
According to the union, Navy Federal plans to replace its current cleaning contractor, New Jersey-based IFS, with Stockton Maintenance Group, a non-union company based in West Palm Beach, Fla., starting July 1. The change will impact 61 janitorial workers who maintain offices across the credit union’s expansive headquarters at 820 Follin Lane. SEIU says the workers are being required to reapply for their jobs—and even if rehired, they would face lower wages and reduced benefits, FFXnow reported.
Under their current contract with IFS—a union-affiliated subsidiary of facility services provider KBS—workers receive sick leave, health insurance, and guaranteed annual raises, according to three women who have each worked at Navy Federal’s headquarters for about four years. They say losing those yearly wage increases would be especially difficult as the cost of rent and everyday essentials continues to rise, FFXnow said.
Navy Federal decided to hire Stockton Maintenance Group for cleaning services at its headquarters based on a “thorough review,” a spokesperson said in an emailed statement to FFXnow, though they didn’t comment on SEIU’s concerns about the company’s non-union status.
“Navy Federal Credit Union partners with a diverse range of vendors, include those staffed with a unionized workforce,” the Navy Federal spokesperson said in its statement to FFXnow. “The decision to transition our HQ janitorial services to Stockton Maintenance Group, was made after a thorough review of operational needs, service performance, cost and long-term strategic goals. We value all of our partners and appreciate the work of the current provider.”