Santa Monica Car Wash Becomes Only Unionized Shop in Country

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The newly unionized workers at bonus car wash chat in Spanish as they wait for customers. October is the beginning of the slow season. When a car pulls up, the workers jump into action, vacuuming and scrubbing.

Before the workers had a contract, they weren't allowed to clock in until customers began arriving.

Chloe Osmer, acting director of the Clean Car Wash Campaign, says the new union will prevent such abuses.

"Workers will get a raise. Workers will have a way to resolve problems when they come up in the car wash,” Osmer says. “Often now in the car wash industry when workers speak out on violations of the law or missing hours in their paycheck, they're often told there's the door if you’re not happy with the way things are. The contract includes that workers can only be dismissed for just cause."

Abner Recinos has worked at bonus car wash for more than three years. The business did not respect their hours or break times, he says in Spanish, but the workers are happy now because things have changed.

Mike Watson, regional manager of the car wash, hopes the move will be good not only for worker morale but also for business.

"The union is now helping drive business to the car wash by telling people this is the only union car wash around."

Osmer hopes bonus car wash won't be the only union shop in town for long. The Clean Car Wash Campaign is helping workers organize at other LA-area car washes as well.