In November 2019, NYC laundromat women leaders launched a groundbreaking campaign at their workplace, Liox/ Wash Supply, to win dignity. For many years, the workers suffered wage theft and other violations and endured deplorable working conditions, including COVID exposure, and verbal and physical abuses at the hand of the employers.
Workers decided to form their independent union. On January 28, 2021, they won! The association was certified by the National Labor Relations Board. The employer did not honor the vote and decided to close all of the laundromats. The workers fought back and rallied the community to ensure that no employer violated the workers' rights. After a considerable struggle, The N.Y. Department of Labor certified U-Visas for the leaders of the Liox/Wash Supply Campaign. This victory is possible thanks to the work of the LWC members, the grand coalition of activists, worker's centers, unions, community organizations, and LWC and workers' legal counsel Lina Stillman.
The NLRB also concluded its investigation and ordered Liox/Wash Supply to hire the workers and negotiate with the union if they reopen the laundromat.