Custodians protest for unpaid wages

CLEARWATER, FL — Cleaning workers picketed outside of the Mercantile building last week for wages not paid for work performed from October to December of last year, according to WTSP-TV.

Anago Cleaning Systems, the company providing janitorial services to the Mercantile building, says Star Sun Management has been behind from the beginning when workers started cleaning the building two years ago; recently, however, they have lagged further and further behind on payments, the story stated.

Anago owner Veronica Shevlin said: "When they went three months behind and now over $12,000, I got scared, so I sent them a letter of possible suspending of the building if I didn't receive the check. At that point, they threatened, telling me to get out of the building with all my equipment and my people. Otherwise, they're going to change the locks and get me for trespassing."

The company charges $4,200 a month for the cleaning services they say were not paid for October through December of 2008, a total of $12,600, the story noted.

Star Sun Management signed an agreement to repay almost $11,000 after some damages were deducted from the total, the story added.

According to the story, nothing has further transpired and it has been a week since Shelvin has heard from Star Sun Management regarding payment.