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Silicon Valley Security Officers Win Big with Apple

March 9, 2015

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The security officers leading the charge to provide opportunity for diverse service workers in Silicon Valley just scored a major victory. Apple announced it was replacing contracted work done by irresponsible contractor Security Industry Specialists (SIS) with stable, full-time security jobs with benefits.

"We welcome Apple's decision to take responsibility for the women and men who protect its campus," said SEIU-USWW President David Huerta. "This decision is a victory for Silicon Valley security officers who are rising up to fix the imbalance in our economy by securing dignified, full-time work and respect on the job."

Apple is one of the tech leaders, along with Google, which has decided to turn the tide against low-wage, contracted service work. Their decisions are setting the gold standard which is helping to raise the bar for all subcontracted workers.

Security officer Michael Johnson said, "Whether Apple realizes it or not, [it's] a win-win for both parties," and quoted Martin Luther King, Jr. when he said, "Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come." And speaking of an idea whose time has come...security officers are turning their attention to the rest of Silicon Valley's profitable tech industry and inviting them to get on board. Some tech companies still use irresponsible contractors such as Universal Protection Service (UPS), which pays so little in expensive Silicon Valley that many Universal officers struggle just to get by.

As security officer Alex DeGuzman puts it: "It's time for the rest of Silicon Valley to get on board. We just won big with Apple. Silicon Valley security officers are on the move!"

Read more about Apple's decision from Salon, the Wall Street Journal, and USA Today.