'Stronger together': American Dream workers protest firings for trying to unionize

About 35 protesters in yellow rain ponchos rallied in front of American Dream on Friday morning to bring attention to the firing of two employees for attempting to join 32BJ SEIU, the country’s largest union of property service workers.

The rally had a mix of union representatives and employees of HSA Cleaning Inc., where Luis Varela and Jose Terán worked before they were fired. Varela, Terán, current employees and the executive director of 32BJ SEIU addressed the crowd and spoke of grievances about the mistreatment at work and about respecting workers’ rights.

Union members wore union sweatshirts and carried banners and a flag with the message “Stronger Together.” 

The background

The two cleaning staff members were fired in what the National Labor Relations Board alleges was retaliation for their involvement in organizing a labor union at the Meadowlands entertainment complex. 

Earlier this month, the NLRB filed a federal petition against HSA Cleaning, alleging the two workers were “discharged in retaliation for their efforts to organize on behalf of 32BJ, SEIU,” a union that represents service workers. 

In the petition, the NLRB argued that the termination of Varela and Terán would undermine existing efforts at American Dream to form a union.

The NLRB filed the case in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. It asked the court to give HSA five days to reinstate Varela and Terán and expunge any personnel records or files with regard to the dismissal.

The rally

“They talk to us down, and they have very little respect for the workers,” Valera told NorthJersey.com during Friday's rally. “We demand them to respect our rights.”

Valera and Terán spoke Spanish, and their words were translated into English. They said they were terminated over text by HSA’s assistant director of operations without any prior notice. During their employment, they said, neither was ever suspended nor received written notice. 

Terán said he hopes the rally sends a message to their former employer to respect the decision to form a union and return them to their jobs.

“They usually always treat us with firing us or … dismissing our work, so when we say something, they always threaten us with firing us,” Terán said. 

American Dream mall representatives and HSA Cleaning Inc. did not immediately respond to a request for more information.