If Employer Unitex Fails to Address the Concerns of These Workers, the Company May Force a Strike and Create a Health Crisis at Many Area Hospitals

PRESS RELEASE– PERTH AMBOY
WHAT: On Tuesday, September 29, 4:30 p.m., Perth Amboy Mayor Wilda Diaz will rally with essential laundry workers who are calling for greater protections against COVID-19 and a fair new union contract as they continue to perform difficult jobs cleaning and processing medical linens for many area hospitals and nursing homes.

Mayor Diaz will join the workers in front of the Med-Apparel laundry processing plant at 35 Washington Street in Perth Amboy, which is owned by Unitex.

Employees at this Perth Amboy industrial laundry facility are considered essential workers. During the current pandemic, these dedicated workers have cleaned patient bed-linens, gowns and other linens for hospitals and nursing homes that were often contaminated with COVID-19.

Recently, Unitex refused to disclose exactly how many employees of its Perth Amboy facility have contracted COVID-19.  Despite a clear requirement to keep employees at least six feet apart whenever possible, according to Governor Murphy’s Executive Order 122 that covers all essential businesses, Unitex claims it has “not measured” the distance between employees.

Unitex is also under investigation by Region 22 of the National Labor Relations Board for alleged unfair labor practices, including illegally threatening to fire its Perth Amboy workers during contract negotiations if they walk off the job.

Unitex is a financially successful and growing company that once reported more than $150 million in annual revenue. But instead of rewarding its Perth Amboy employees for their dedication and sacrifice during the COVID-19 pandemic, Unitex is demanding unreasonable concessions on retirement benefits, and treating employee’s safety demands with callous indifference.

If Unitex keeps ignoring the health and safety concerns of its Perth Amboy employees, and tries to force concessions on benefits, the company may force these essential workers to strike. A strike would disrupt the cleaning and availability of medical linens for many hospitals and nursing homes in New Jersey and New York.

 WHO: Perth Amboy Mayor Wilda Diaz; Essential laundry workers, who clean and process medical linens for hospitals and nursing homes in New Jersey and New York City; Leaders of the Laundry, Distribution, and Food Service Joint Board, Workers United/SEIU, the labor union representing these workers.

 WHERE: In front of the Med-Apparel laundry processing plant, 35 Washington Street in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, which is owned by Unitex.

 WHEN: Tuesday, September 29, 4:30 p.m.