Protest At 490 Myrtle Avenue, Workers Say They Were Fired For Attempting Unionization

Local workers organized protested outside 490 Myrtle Avenue on May 5 after the firing of a doorman who tried to unionize his building.

Isaac Gomez claims that he was fired from his job as a doorman at 490 Myrtle Avenue, a residential building managed by VIP Concierge and owned by Silverstone Property Group, for attempting to organize workers to join local union 32BJ in an effort to get better wages and benefits. His former co-worker, Eddie Ortiz, claims he was fired from his position as the live-in residential manager for collaborating and summarily evicted from the premises.

“I was at work and management fired me pretty much for organizing. I tried to recruit another co-worker and they ended up finding out and I was fired because of that,” said Gomez.

Attempts to contact Silverstone Property Group were not returned.

NYC’s 421-a program requires that residential property developers who receive a property tax break must pay “prevailing wages,” which are keyed by the NYC comptroller to union contracts. For workers at 490 Myrtle, that would mean a raise from $12 per hour to $17 per hour according to Gomez.

“We are entitled to a fair living and fair wages,” said Ortiz, who continued “I was a live-in super and I had to move out. They threw me out.”

The SEIU has filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations board on behalf of Gomez, claiming he was fired in retaliation for his attempts to organize.

Gomez says he’s now working security at a construction site as retribution.

“It’s very dirty. Dirty air… you’re supposed to have a mask and I don’t have nothing like that.”