BALTIMORE — There are new claims some workers who clean buildings downtown, including offices for the Department of Labor, are being paid below minimum wage.
WATCH: Janitors protest alleged underpayment by state contractor CVVY
Contracted janitors held a rally outside the department to voice their frustrations. The cleaners work for CVVY Enterprises, which is also contracted to clean offices at several other state agencies.
In addition to underpayment claims, the group also alleges CVVY doesn't pay people on time and has fired workers without cause.
Several city lawmakers, including Council Member Odette Ramos, came out to support the protest.
"I do know that it's tough out there. The people have to make tough decisions, but I do think that those decisions need to be grounded in not making profit for the top person, but for making sure that our workers are taken care of because they're really doing the tough jobs," Ramos said.
The cleaners are all members of the local SEIU chapter, which claims members who were fired without cause were let go because of work they did for the union.
The owner of CVVY did not respond to a request for comment. The Department of Labor confirms the business is under investigation but could not say more than that.
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