Every workman, artisan, mechanic, laborer or other person who performs any work or labor or provides any service under the employment of any general contractor or of any subcontractor in the erection, construction, repair or removal of any building or other structure, or improvement appurtenant thereto, or who alters or improves the real property whereon the same stands, or to which it may have been removed, necessary to the completion of such general contract, shall have such a lien for his or her compensation as is mentioned in section one of this article.