SEIU security guards win wage increases, paid Juneteenth holiday
The last time security guards in the Service Employees International Union, Local 32BJ (SEIU 32BJ) bargained for a new contract, it was four years ago, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Security guards risked their lives as they showed up to work while most of the city remained on lockdown. They won some concessions, but it was in no way on par with the agreements won for security guards in residential and commercial establishments.
That meant as negotiations started for a new contract this year, 32BJ security division workers were ready. After seeing 32BJ commercial building service workers gain a four-year deal with a 12.6 percent wage increase, they made their intentions clear.
“Coming into this contract cycle, after our commercial brothers and sisters in December ratified and won a great contract with the best wage increases they’d ever got, it was our mandate to be able to do the same for our 20,000 security officers in New York City,” said Israel Melendez, vice president of 32BJ and director of its security division. “It was wages, protecting our health, and protecting our benefits and training program––making sure that stays 100 percent employer paid ––and also winning Juneteenth as a paid holiday; that was very important to the membership.”
Members had, in the past, had 10 holidays that they could get paid extra for working on. Only Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday and Labor Day were paid holidays. 32BJ members wanted to add Juneteenth as a paid holiday because a lot of places, such as commercial offices, are not closed, while city agencies are. The union wanted to make sure that members got paid and did not lose any pay if their work site was closed.
RELATED: Paid Juneteenth holiday among contract demands for SEIU security guards
After a series of tough negotiations, the 32BJ security division won a new contract that members are excited about. The new agreement promises a 22-percent wage increase—more than double what they got in 2020, and the highest the union has ever acquired.
Last Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1, members came in to ratify the contract. “We had two days where members came in in person and voted for it,” Melendez told the AmNews. “We had a whole program and summary for them.
“They were very excited––a lot of members were very excited about the contract, very thankful. And they participated in it at a high clip rate. This was our first time since 2016 putting a field plan together. We had 40% of the 20,000 members participate in at least one action for their contract campaign, and that made the difference—they really moved the needle.” The new contract was an important win for the union security guards: It demonstrates an appreciation of their importance as essential workers. “Coming off the pandemic, where we had some members that passed away from COVID, and a lot of members were out there on the front lines coming in every day…and securing buildings and facilities during the protests and everything––we had people out there during the protests, making sure that they they’re securing the properties and making sure that the tenants are safe,” Melendez said. “This was a huge, a huge endeavor to make sure that these contractors and building owners make the same commitment to the security industry as they did with the commercial industry back in December.”
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