News & Updates
Veteran says winning paid time off means valuable time with his family
Edward Wright still uses the skills he gained in the six years he spent in the U.S. Army, even though he completed…
Army veteran Troy Williams fights for a better way of life on the home front
U.S. Army veteran Troy Williams is a security officer in New York City’s financial industry and a member of 32BJ SEIU. With 18 years in the security industry, Troy has seen his pay increase from $8 to $18 per hour, and now has guaranteed raises each year….
Army veteran and union leader Terry Wade organizes across cultures
Terry Wade served in the U.S. Army for twelve years, and has another ten years’ experience in the security industry. He works to organize his union, SEIU Local 1, and meet workers from Eastern Europe and South America….
Army veteran Mike Montalbano: “All workers need a decent wage to take care of their families.”
Mike Montalbano is a U.S. Army veteran with ten years in the private security industry in Silicon Valley, paid only $13.96 per hour. He is the primary caregiver for his 92-year-old mother and is organizing his union in Silicon Valley….
Pittsburgh security officers ensure quality training, healthcare and sustainable wages for their communities
In one of the biggest victories for working people in Pennsylvania this year, 1,000 Pittsburgh security officers won their first-ever union contract with nine security companies, including quality healthcare and wage increases….
Security officers to ASIS International: Let’s work together to raise industry standards
Security officers brought their Fight for $15 campaign to ASIS International, the largest conference of security industry professionals, calling for good jobs for veterans in the security industry….
Amazon should reinvent its culture—and its role in Seattle
Tracison Casarrubias, a former security officer on Amazon’s South Lake Union campus, calls on Amazon to reinvent its workplace culture and address larger issues important to Seattle, including good jobs, transit, and affordable housing….
Is Universal Protection Service a Responsible Contractor for California?
SEIU’s Responsible Contracting Program has downgraded UPS from “green” to “yellow” status in California after security officers organized for two years without resolution. UPS is preparing to acquire Guardsmark, LLC….
“Back to scraping by” for security officers at Pitt
Security officers at the University of Pittsburgh, paid less than $9 per hour, rallied to improve jobs and safety. They are seeking a collective bargaining agreement to implement a new citywide training law….
We Mourn the Loss of New York Security Officer Idrissa Camara
Security officer Idrissa Camara, a member of 32BJ SEIU, was killed protecting federal workers at 201 Varick in Manhattan. SEIU mourned his loss and pledged to continue fighting for security officers on the front lines….
Security officers building opportunity in Indianapolis
Indianapolis security officers are leading the way to good, stable jobs in their communities. Denise Randle, paid just $10 an hour before the new contract, joined security officers across the country in unionizing for better wages….
Risky Business: Universal Protection Service Acquiring Guardsmark
Universal Protection Service (UPS) is expected to acquire Guardsmark LLC. Moody’s considers portions of the investment to be “speculative” and “high risk,” while Silicon Valley security officers struggle with stolen wages and retaliation….
Married Couple Works to Raise Standards in Security Industry
Ben Hartley and Liz Volpe, a married couple of security officers in Silicon Valley, live in a crowded three-bedroom home and struggle to afford medical care for asthma and leg numbness. They are joining a union to raise standards….
Wendel to buy AlliedBarton Security Services
Security officers who work for AlliedBarton in fifteen metro areas have united with SEIU. AlliedBarton is being acquired by Wendel, a French private equity company with a history of responsible, long-term investment….
Former UPS Security Officer José Milan: “If you work, you should get paid.”
José Milan, a former UPS security officer and immigrant studying to become a social worker, fought back after the company failed to pay him for 16 extra hours worked. He filed a claim with the state Department of Labor Standards and Enforcement….
Four Security Contractors, One Struggle: Working for a Real Solution in Silicon Valley
Kalpana Mishra has protected the same warehouse for ten years. She has worked for four different security contractors in that time, and…
Inter-Con Security Officers Win the “Impossible”
in Portland, Oregon. “Bargaining our first contract was challenging, but by taking action together and working with the Laborers union and elected…
How to Scrape by as a Security Officer in Silicon Valley
Daniel Santos has been a security officer for more than 10 years, and loves working at Almaden Plaza in downtown San Jose….
Silicon Valley Security Officer Testifies to Largest Pension Fund in the U.S.
Security officer Michael Johnson and his co-workers protect some of the world’s most successful tech companies, but struggle just to get by….
Amazon Shareholder Meeting: Diverse Coalition Calls on Amazon to Develop Responsibly, Hire Responsible Security Contractor
Photo by Alex Garland Days after Seattle City Councilmembers called for Amazon to hire a responsible security contractor, security officers joined corporate…
Ross Schmidt: “When we signed our first union contract for the Minneapolis suburbs in 2013, I got my first raise in 13 years. But that wasn’t the most important thing.”
Ross Schmidt knows how to manage his money. “I’m frugal. I was raised in a single-parent household. I have two roommates that…
Union Security Officer Previews the View from One WTC Observatory
Louis Medina, a proud member of SEIU 32BJ, took the Wall Street Journal on a preview tour of the brand new observatory…
Seattle City Councilmembers Ask Amazon to Choose a Responsible Security Contractor
, has settled allegations that all nine members of City Council highlighted in a letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos last year….
School Security Officers Rally for Respect in Trenton
Security officers working for U.S. Security Associates at the Trenton School District marched to the Board of Education meeting on Monday. The…
New York Security Officer Melissa Colón: “I’m grateful for my union. I’m paid more than $20 an hour, and have health insurance for myself and my daughter.”
As a new mother, New York security officer Melissa Colon thinks about what she needs to support her 1-year-old daughter, Cianna Lee….
Diva Moyet: “Because of the raises I’ve gotten in my union contract, I can pay my bills and buy food on one salary. I don’t work a second job anymore.”
Diva Moyet credits her union involvement with giving her more free time. “When I first started, the wages were lower, and I…
Fool me Once…Fool me Twice…Amazon Security Contractor Settles Allegations it “Strongly” Denied
. Amazon brushed it off, explaining that SIS “strongly denied that it had engaged in any inappropriate behavior.” Now SIS has finally…
NJ Security Officers Rally for Respect from U.S. Security Associates
Security officers working for U.S. Security rally at Hudson County Community College The security officers who protect Hudson County Community College (HCCC)…
Watchdogging the Boss: Wage Theft at Universal Protection Service?
Photo by Robert Durell The first time Brianna Morris noticed her paycheck was wrong was in November. That check started a months-long…
Pittsburgh Security Officers Win New Training Standards Law
After months of activity by Pittsburgh security officers forming their first-ever market-wide union with SEIU 32BJ, the Pittsburgh City Council unanimously passed…
Illinois Security Officer Charles Ware on the Union Difference
Thirty-year-old Charles Ware is always thinking about how to make things better – for his family, his co-workers, and his community. That’s…
Alante Security Officers Win Improvements on the Job
Federal armed security officers working for Alante Security Group are the latest to join SEIU 32BJ. In their first-ever union contract, the…
Service Workers Led the Way to $15 and Benefits at Facebook
Statement by SEIU United Service Workers West President David Huerta: Facebook’s decision to raise standards for contracted workers is a direct result…
The Real Face of Silicon Valley
The Reverend Jesse Jackson returned to Silicon Valley yesterday to support security officers who are taking the next step in the fight…
NYC Security Officer Mercedes: Fight for $15 About Much More than Fast Food
I worked in fast food before I switched to security and I know what it is like to struggle day-to-day in those…
Clueless in Seattle: Amazon contractor says it is “unaware” of any security officers it may have wronged
that it violated the city’s paid sick leave law. OCR Director Patricia Lally told the Seattle Times that she believes the company…
New Jersey Security Officer Speaks Out About “Clopening” Shifts
With responsibility for the safety of students, professors, and the community at large, security officers at Hudson County Community College should be…
How to Ensure Responsible Security Contracting
Government officials increasingly rely on private security companies to police public facilities. But in the absence of national mechanisms of accountability, who…
Reducing Turnover Through the Union Solution
When officers form a union, they have the ability to solve workplace problems, which increases morale and decreases turnover. Security officers work…
Better Training
Combined with better wages and benefits, comprehensive training programs can further reduce turnover and develop the skills of high-performing security professionals. Rigorous…
An Ounce of Prevention
The “Great Recession” and its aftermath continue to impact our nation’s economy. For many U.S. businesses, demand has shrunk while costs have…
Citrix: Don’t Put our Dreams on Hold!
Just days after security officers won major improvements on the job from Apple, service workers and their allies marched through the heart…
Silicon Valley Security Officers Win Big with Apple
The security officers leading the charge to provide opportunity for diverse service workers in Silicon Valley just scored a major victory. Apple…
Trending: Service Workers Rising Up in Silicon Valley
Security officers were catapulted onto the national stage this week with big-time mentions in everything from a radio story about working class…
Pittsburgh Security Officers ‘Flocking’ to Form Union, Improve Emergency Training
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette noted the rapid pace that Pittsburgh security officers are forming a new, market-wide union with SEIU 32BJ. Pittsburgh security…
Seattle Security Officers Part of National Debate on Paid Sick Leave
Tracison Casarrubias, who protects Amazon headquarters for Security Industry Specialists (SIS), was featured in a national broadcast on President Obama’s paid sick…
Jesse Jackson Says Amazon Lacks Opportunity for Security Officers and Workers of Color
Amazon has two major office developments in the pipeline, which could more than double its Seattle workforce. But it still has a…
Silicon Valley Service Workers ‘Storm’ Apple for Good Jobs
The Bay Area’s storm of the century closed school districts across the region, but it couldn’t stop security officers from marching with…
Veterans deserve a living, not just a job.
I come from four generations of U.S. military service. When my family was evacuated from a war zone shortly after my birth,…
Standing Together to Secure Better Jobs for Veterans
Asked about the quality of security work in Oakland, U.S. Navy veteran John Robinson will tell you that security officers have come…