MEDIA ADVISORY FOR Friday, April 4, 2008          |          CONTACT: Elizabeth Buchanan 202/297-9331; Jennifer Kelly 213/300-3336

Hundreds Attend Pickets and Support Rallies Across State, New Strike Added As InterCon Continues to Spy On, Threaten, Interrogate Workers

OAKLAND, Calif.—Security officers employed by Inter-Con to protect Kaiser Permanente patients and staff have conducted a week of pickets and activities across California, culminating in one-day strikes and pickets today in Oakland (NEW LOCATION), Hayward, Fremont and Sacramento. The strikes and pickets are being conducted over unfair labor practices committed by Inter-Con at several Kaiser locations in Northern California. SEIU members, community and elected leaders, and Inter-Con workers are also holding support rallies in Oakland and Los Angeles today.

During pickets and actions this week, the civil rights violations and unfair labor practices committed by Inter-Con management have intensified. On Thursday, workers filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and charges continue to pile up as Inter-Con managers break the law.

Workers on picket lines this week have been speaking out on some of the problems they’ve faced with Inter-Con management.

“We needed to come out here because we’ve been struggling for more than two years for a voice on the job. Inter-Con should let us make up our own minds about forming a union instead of scaring people. They’re pulling us aside to ask us who is going to picket or strike, who’s a union supporter,” said Angelito Morales, an Inter-Con officer at Kaiser Union City Medical Center, near the Hayward facility.

“We’ve struggled for two and a half years for a voice and respect on the job. But Inter-Con has fought us every step of the way. We’re tired of being intimidated and interrogated. We need a voice on the job,” said Allen Newland, an Inter-Con officer at Kaiser South Sacramento Medical Center.

Despite the on-going intimidation, officers are clear on the reasons they wanted to form a union in the first place.

“It’s hard going to work every day knowing that we’re the only ones in the building without protected rights, a voice on the job and a living wage,” said Mohinder Poonia, an Inter-Con security officer at Kaiser Fremont Medical Center.

“I work to protect patients and hospital workers, but can’t even take a day off when I’m sick because we don’t have sick days,” said LaRonda Lynch, an Inter-Con officer at Kaiser Sunset Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Since November 2005, 1,500 Inter-Con security officers at Kaiser Permanente have been working to improve security and working conditions by forming a union with SEIU. They are possibly the only group of workers at Kaiser —either direct employees or subcontracted workers—who are being denied the right to form a union and left out of Kaiser’s Labor Management Partnership.
 
Across California, SEIU members from all professions are uniting to stand behind Inter-Con security officers at Kaiser in their struggle, joining them in activities and rallies.

“United in SEIU, we won the best standards for training, pay and benefits in the country. We even have a career ladder to help experienced, dedicated officers advance—and keep them on the job,” said SEIU SECURITY OFFICER WHO HAS A CONTRACT. “Inter-Con officers need the same chance, so their Kaiser patients and staff get the best protection.”

“As a Kaiser employee, every day at work I know I’m protected and united with my co-workers. These Inter-Con workers are my co-workers, have the same rights and deserve the same respect,” said SEIU MEMBER WHO WORKS AT KAISER.

Inter-Con officers across the state have vowed to do what it takes to hold Inter-Con accountable. They will continue pickets and actions throughout April as protests spread throughout at Kaiser facilities and will hold more strikes if Inter-Con management continues to break the law.

With 1.9 million members, SEIU is the largest and fastest-growing union in North America and the largest property services union, representing more than 250,000 security officers, janitors and other service workers. SEIU Local 24/7 is part of SEIU United Service Workers West representing 10,000 private security officers across California.

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