Engaged Research
CLEAN Carwash Campaign
Power, community, and partnerships
CLEAN Carwash Campaign
Carwash employee, Oscar Sanchez
CLEAN Carwash Campaign
In the words of the campaign organizer
Clean Carwash Campaign
CLEAN stands for Community Labor Environmental Action Network. CLEAN is a diverse coalition of immigrant rights, legal, and labor organizations committed to improving the lives of working class families in the greater Los Angeles area. The CLEAN Carwash Campaign is a joint effort between CLEAN and the Carwash Workers Organizing Committee (CWOC) of the United Steel Workers. Together CWOC and CLEAN work to support carwash workers standing up for their rights, improve health and safety protections for the 10,000 carwash workers in the greater Los Angeles area, and help keep our water and environment clean for LA communities.
Click here to access the CLEAN Carwash Campaign.
Map of Unionized Car Washes
There are 14 “Better Carwashes” in South Central Los Angeles, the map is illustrative of the campaign's efforts and development.
Learn More about the Campaign Here
After 5 years of organizing, the CLEAN Carwash Campaign and carwash workers were able to successfully negotiate contracts with three carwashes in Los Angeles: Bonus Carwash in Santa Monica, and Vermont Navas Carwashes in South LA. These are the only carwashes with contracts not just in the Los Angeles area, but in the entire nation.
Personal Narratives: Meet the Workers
The thousands of workers who shampoo, wax, dry, and detail cars are some of the most exploited workers in Los Angeles. They frequently work in appalling conditions for low or, in many instances, no wages. Too often, carwash owners flout labor laws, health and safety regulations, and enviornmental protections in their single-minded drive for profits. Their practices put workers, customers, and even the general public at risk.
Conditions faced by LA carwash workers include:
-
Workers typically work 10 hours a day, 6 days a week, frequently with no overtime pay.
-
Workers are often paid less than the legal minimum wage, sometimes working for tips alone and earning as little as $30-$40 per day ($3-$4/ hour).
-
Carwash workers are subject to health and safety hazards such as constant exposure to water and to dangerous chemicals without protective gear.
-
Workers in the industry have reported kidney damage, respiratory problems and nerve damage.
Additional Resources
The following resources illustrate different aspects of the campaign and the ways in which the campaign developed over time.