ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION No. 111

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED JUNE 20, 1996

By Assemblywoman FRISCIA, Assemblyman DORIA and Assemblywoman Turner

An Assembly Resolution urging the Governor to rescind contracts between the State and certain vendors.

Whereas, On March 20, 1996, agents of the federal Immigration and Naturalization Service arrested, as non-citizens working illegally, 24 janitorial personnel employed in the State House complex and the Department of Environmental Protection building, and immediately deported five of the 24 janitors, based on outstanding warrants or voluntary acquiescence; and

Whereas, The 24 arrested janitors represented a majority of the 38 janitors then working at those sites under two contracts between the State government and the private contractors who employed the janitors, Building Maintenance Systems, Inc. and the Trenton Janitorial Supply Company; and

Whereas, The State's decision in 1994 and 1995 to contract out to those firms more than one million dollars per year of janitorial work at those and six other buildings was part of a privatization of State janitorial services that resulted in the elimination of the jobs of 89 unionized State employees; and

Whereas, The union which represents the laid-off employees requested an investigation on the illegal employment of non-citizens under those contracts as early as August 1995; and

Whereas, In response to the request for an investigation, the State Department of Law and Public Safety did nothing more than look at copies of what have proven to be inaccurate documents provided by the contractors and never even requested an investigation by federal authorities into the authenticity of the documents; and

Whereas, Many of the illegally employed workers were paid minimum wage and were provided no health benefits; and

Whereas, Because the illegally employed workers often have little or no knowledge of the legal rights of workers in the State to seek better conditions through collective bargaining, and would, in any case, be afraid to draw attention to themselves by efforts to exercise those legal rights; and

Whereas, Such exploitative practices result in unfair competition to other workers, businesses and public entities, which, unchecked, may undermine the health, efficiency and general well-being of all workers; and

Whereas, Such practices may result in substandard work for the State, an unstable workforce, added costs in uncompensated health care and other social services for the illegally employed workers and displaced public employees alike, which costs will be imposed on law-abiding employers, workers and taxpayers of the State; now, therefore,

    Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. The Governor is hereby urged to rescind the State's contracts with Building Maintenance Systems, Inc. and the Trenton Janitorial Supply Company and to rehire all State employees who were laid off in connection with the State entering into those contracts.

    2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested by the Clerk of the General Assembly, shall be transmitted to the Governor.

    3. This Assembly resolution shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    This resolution expresses the will of the General Assembly that the Governor should rescind the State's contracts with Building Maintenance Systems, Inc. and the Trenton Janitorial Supply Company and rehire all State employees who were laid off in connection with the State entering into those contracts.

Memorializes Governor regarding contracts between the State and certain vendors.