Security workers want their union contracts reinstated

Sign up for our FREE acclaimed newsletters!

The news mainstream media just doesn’t cover. Racial justice journalism since 1909.

Sign up

Security service workers at two buildings leased by New York City service agencies are demanding the reinstatement of their union contracts.

Employees who previously worked for Allied Universal Security Services, a company that honored its contracts with 32BJ SEIU, say their new employer, Narrow Security Inc., shows little interest in recognizing the union.

Narrow Security, a registered Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) vendor, was hired some six months ago to fulfill the security contracts of the New York City Department of Probation. The company won assignments at the Bronx County Family Court building on 900 Sheridan Avenue and in Brooklyn at 345 Adams Street, where several Citywide Administrative Services are located.

At both locations, security officers were in the past represented by the union. But now, 32BJ representatives claim Narrow Security is refusing to agree to a process for union recognition of its workers and won’t hire some of the locations’ existing security officers. The union asserts, “These changes eliminated family-sustaining union jobs, created uncertainty for the impacted officers, and disrupted their healthcare coverage.”

This Friday, May 2, 32BJ SEIU has alerted the Amsterdam News that its NYC security officer members plan to deliver a petition with over 2,000 signatures to Narrow Security’s offices in Queens. The petition’s signers are calling on the company to commit to upholding industry standards with its employees.

In mid-April, security officers were joined by City Council Member Keith Powers in a protest outside of Narrow Security’s Manhattan offices at 600 Third Avenue. The union is making strong efforts to push Narrow Security into talking about organizing its workers. 

A 2012 report from the Community Service Society of New York (CSS) determined that there was “a correlation between concentrated union activity and wage gains in the industry. The higher wages in the unionized sector also had the effect of boosting wages in the non-union sector.” CSS said it found that unionized security officers were less likely to need to use Medicaid or turn to food stamps to maintain their households.

“We can’t stand by while companies lower our hard-won work standards,” said Israel Melendez, SEIU 32BJ vice president. “Even one contractor that offers lower standards can put the entire industry at risk. So, while we applaud the city’s commitment to supporting minority businesses, it can’t come at the expense of the industry’s overwhelmingly Black and minority workforce. We’re calling on the city to use responsible security contractors –– and for Narrow to commit to upholding industry standards.”

Emails and phone calls to Narrow Security’s office were not returned by press time. The Amsterdam News wanted to ask if the company has a specific policy about hiring unionized employees and what their labor standards are. At one point, on May 1, a Narrow Security representative called to ask why this newspaper wanted to speak with management about its employment goals. When told what we were calling about, the rep promised to have management call back and talk about the issue. As of this date, Narrow Security has not reached out to us again.

Ernestine Gilmore, a security officer and 32BJ SEIU member, said in a statement, “For years, I worked security at 900 Sheridan. It was a good, stable job, and I took pride in connecting with the young people at the juvenile probation center. We had a real community. I had been there for ten years and planned my whole life around my job. It allowed me to be there for my kids and my family. Then, one day, I barely got any notice that I lost the job. I even applied for it with the new company, Narrow Security. I never heard back. My new assignment has disrupted my homelife. I can’t pick up my kids from school anymore. After dedicating so much of my life to my work, I think I deserve better.”

Alvin Carter, a lead security worker’s organizer at 32BJ SEIU, told the AmNews Narrow Security hasn’t specifically stated that they won’t work with unions: “I don’t think that that was actually said. But they’ve clearly said that they’re not working with us: they’re not working with our organization for it. Even though they have armed officers at this location, 32BJ represents armed officers in the city as well. But there’s no roadblock to them having conversations with us, to become organized.”