SAN FRANCISCO - Security officers are making final preparations for an imminent unfair labor practice strike to defend their civil rights. The leading security companies in the Bay Area are violating the rights of security officers during an ongoing labor dispute over standards in the industry.
Security officers are standing up for public safety by exposing how low wages and lack of affordable healthcare drive high turnover and prevent security officers from getting experience and adequate training to be partners in public safety. The city's real estate giants like Morgan Stanley and security companies like Securitas have an historic opportunity to take responsibility for security in their buildings and raise standards now during the contract negotiations.
The city's real estate giants have agreed to compensate building engineers, window cleaners, parking attendants, janitors and other service workers in their buildings with family health care, wages you can raise a family on, paid sick days, paid holidays, paid vacations, paid bereavement leave and pensions for retirement security. Only private security officers - who are predominately African American - are being left behind.
Security officers earn on average $5/hour less that union janitors in the same buildings. Janitors receive free family health care through their full time employment. Security officers are offered health plans they simply cannot afford and are forced to make impossible choices like pay the rent or buy medication.
Today, the Stand for Security Coalition of clergy, congregations, elected leaders and community organizations called on SF's real estate giants to “respect our community, respect security officers” in a full page ad in the San Francisco Business Times, a trade publication for the real estate community.
Security officers preparing to strike for their rights received full backing from the San Francisco Central Labor Council's 150 affiliated labor unions on Wednesday -- including the sanitation workers, stationary engineers, building and construction trades, parking attendants, UPS delivery drivers, window cleaners and janitors. The executive committee of the labor council voted unanimously to grant strike sanctions to honor SEIU Local 24/7 picket lines.
WHAT: Security officers making picket signs
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 22, 2007
1:00 - 3:00 PM
WHERE: Mosswood Park
3612 Webster St.
Oakland
B-ROLL AVAILABLE: SEIU members on strike.