NEW YORK — Brooklyn councilmen Carlos Menchaca and Brad Lander were arrested as they showed their support for carwash workers on strike, according to Observer.com.
The two men, along with Marc Perrone, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers International, and Stuart Appelbaum, president of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union were arrested for blocking traffic in front of Vegas Auto Spa, noted the article. They were trying to draw attention to “carwasheros” (immigrants working in the carwash industry) who say they have been denied fair wages.
“Wages are being stolen. Tips are being stolen. Dignity is being denied. We will not accept it. It hurts every one of us,” Appelbaum shared in the article before his arrest. “We are saying to the people of this city: Enough is enough.”
Read also: Carwashes to pay $1.3 million for wage violations
The men were handcuffed peacefully when police arrested them, stated the article.
Vegas Auto Spa workers filed a lawsuit against its owner, Marat Leshehinsky, in November 2014, reported the article, claiming some were paid less than minimum wage. The employees recently formed a union.
“We’re negotiating a contract. What [workers are] asking for and what I’ve offered them are very fair terms,” Leshehinsky said in the article. “They were always properly paid by law.”
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