Second NYC Car Wash Unionizes

An ongoing campaign by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) to unionize New York City car washes had another success on Friday, June 14. Sunny Day Car Wash in the Bronx finalized a union contract just two weeks after Hi-Tek Wash in Queens finalized its contract.
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Second NYC Car Wash Unionizes
Miguel Portillo, seen washing a car at Jomar Car Wash in Flushing, joined his colleagues to vote in favor of unionizing on April 24. Jomar Car Wash is the sixth car wash to vote to unionize since Sept. 2012. Sunny Day Car Wash in the Bronx just finalized a union contract. (Samira Bouaou/Epoch Times)
6/16/2013
Updated:
7/18/2015

NEW YORK—An ongoing campaign by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) to unionize New York City car washes had another success on Friday, June 14. Sunny Day Car Wash in the Bronx finalized a union contract just two weeks after Hi-Tek Wash in Queens finalized its contract.

The Sunny Day contract represents only the second car wash in the eastern United States to unionize. The three-year union contract win comes after a 13-week strike by workers after they were not paid on time. 

The benefits of the contract include a pay-increase schedule, guarantees for payment of overtime hours, and a process for resolving on the job grievances. 

RWDSU’s partner in the unionization of Sunny Day and Hi-Tek car washes, Make the Road New York, has been working with six car washes throughout the city to help establish union contracts, with related benefits and protections for workers.