Essential property service workers with the union 32BJ SEIU rallied outside the Kushner Real Estate (KRE) Group headquarters at 485 Marin Boulevard in Jersey City yesterday demanding a fair contract and respecting their right to organize.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“Working families are the backbone of Jersey City’s rapid development, yet the very people keeping these luxury towers safe, clean and operational are being left behind without basic healthcare or fair wages,” 32BJ SEIU Vice President and New Jersey State Director Ana Maria Hill said in a statement.
“Kushner Real Estate continues to expand its footprint and profit off our communities, yet it has left 485 Marin workers without a contract for over a year-and-a-half. We are drawing a line in the sand. KRE must deliver a fair contract immediately and respect the right of all residential property workers in Jersey City to organize for a better future.”
The demonstration follows more than 18 months of stalled contract negotiations.
Concierges, porters, and maintenance workers at 485 Marin voted overwhelmingly to join 32BJ SEIU in January 2025, but remain without a fair agreement providing family-sustaining wages, healthcare benefits and workplace dignity.
Simultaneously, the rally amplified the voices of nearly 400 residential building workers across Jersey City who are launching a major push to unionize, calling on KRE and other major luxury developers to respect their right to organize without interference, according to the union.
During the event, workers marched directly to KRE’s executive offices to deliver a sign-on letter backed by prominent local leaders, urging the firm to bargain in good faith with workers.
Cecil Ferrer, who has worked as a concierge at 485 Marin for approximately five years, described the financial pressure workers and their families face while trying to survive on wages below $20 an hour.
“We work in luxury buildings, but we’re living paycheck to paycheck. I started at $15 an hour, and now I make $19.45. At the end of the month, there’s barely enough left for food,” he expressed.
“I’m also a father to a 13-year-old son with autism who requires special care and attention. I should not have to choose between paying for health insurance, paying child support or paying my phone bill. We deserve wages we can live on, affordable healthcare, respect and a future where we’re not just surviving, but actually living.”
Jersey City Council President Denise Ridley, Councilman at-Large Rolando Lavarro, Ward C Councilman Tom Zuppa, and Ward E Councilwoman Eleana Little also showed their support for the organized labor group’s efforts.
“Nothing is going down in price. KRE has to keep wages up, just as inflation and the cost of everything else continue to rise. We expect people to survive and support their families, and we have to make sure developers in Jersey City are doing right by their employees,” noted Ridley.
“We have to get our priorities right in this city. The least we can do is stand up for workers and fight for fair and livable wages and healthcare,” added Zuppa.
Following the remarks, a delegation of workers entered the corporate offices to formally deliver a community sign-on letter signed by numerous local officials and labor advocates.
This letter urges the KRE Group to secure family-sustaining wages, health coverage, and organizing protections across its property portfolio.
KRE Group could not be reached for comment on Friday.