A group of black janitors who were fired after they claimed they were victims of racial discrimination have found new jobs, but supporters continue to draw attention to their situation.
Nova Scotia singer-songwriter Joel Plaskett performed at a rally outside the Founders Square office building on Thursday, capping a week of pickets protesting the treatment of the black cleaners.
He said he was inspired by speakers at a rally at the downtown building on Monday and decided to write a song with his father, Bill, and community leader Lynn Jones to support the janitors.
“This is an issue I can lend my voice to and sing,”‘ Plaskett said in an interview. “We’re just trying to make some noise and make the world a more equitable and fair place.”
The janitors announced plans to file a complaint with the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission last week.
They accused the building’s property manager, Armour Group, and an incoming contractor, Deep Down Cleaning Services, of racial discrimination. They said one white cleaner was offered a job by the new contractor while the workers of African descent were all set to lose their jobs at the end of the month.
Property manager responds
In a letter to Global News, Armour Group said it terminated its contract with the cleaning contractor GDI Services — the company who had employed the janitors — over poor cleaning services.
Armour Group says it advised GDI on March 23 that it would pay for its cleaning services through to the end of the contract period, March 31, and issued a Property Protection Act notice — essentially banning the janitors from the building — out of concerns the media attention could compromise “the maintenance of a safe and respectful workplace for all, including our tenants.”
They emphasized that at no time did the Armour Group fire any employees and that GDI has been paid until the end of its contract.
Armour says that it is not their obligation to pay GDI’s employees, that GDI is responsible for paying its employees and that they have not prevented GDI’s employees from getting paid.
Armour also said that they had no role in determining which cleaners were hired by Deep Down Cleaning Services.
New company says racism allegations ‘totally ridiculous’
Rich Abbass, one of the owners of Deep Down Cleaning, called the allegation of racism “totally ridiculous.”
“This is just crazy,” he said. “People are jumping to conclusions and it’s the furthest thing from the truth.”
The company has taken over cleaning contracts in the city for 20 years, Abbass said, noting that it hires its own cleaners while the outgoing contractor finds new placements for its cleaners.
Deep Down Cleaning decided to hire the building’s day porter — who is white — but opted not to hire the cleaning crew, said Abbass.
“We had no idea the cleaners were black or the day porter was white,” Abbass said. “We just had a lot of positive feedback about the day porter, he’s well-liked at the building, so we offered him a job.”
Abbass added that one of the company’s owners is black, and about half the staff have ethnic backgrounds.
A spokeswoman for the Armour Group has since told The Canadian Press that the janitors have received other job placements through the janitors’ company.
The workers and their supporters have picketed outside the building twice a day this week, chanting “Justice for janitors,” and waving placards that said, “Black workers matter.”
— With files from Global News