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On strike: S.F. security guards walk out
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SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - Security guards for office buildings in San Francisco have gone on strike this morning, picketing at least 14 buildings as they call for higher wages and better healthcare.
“There’s a double-standard in these high-rise office buildings,” said Service Employees International Union spokeswoman Gina Bowers, speaking from in front of 1 Front Street, where picketers were getting ready to march to their buildings. She said the double standard exists between other service workers in the buildings, such as custodians, who make a living wage, and security workers, who make as little as $24,000 per year, making them the working poor.
“This calls the question on San Francisco: What kind of future does this city have for working people, when these workers are protecting these multi-billion corporations?” Bowers said.
About 98 local security guards have walked out, and are being joined on the picket line by workers from Boston, New York, Los Angeles and other cities.
Picket lines are located in front of 1 Front St., 333 Market St., 50 Fremont St. and 11 other buildings, Service Employees International Union Local 24/7 Bowers said. The number of picket lines is expected to grow throughout the day.
Security officers voted Sept. 15 to authorize union leaders to call an unfair labor practice strike at anytime.
"The real issue is that large corporations that own buildings need to take responsibility for security in their buildings, and make sure that security jobs are good jobs for the safety of the Bay Area,'' Bowers said.
In addition to better training and increased wages, SEIU Labor 24/7 is asking for adequate health benefits for the 4,000 Bay Area security officers it represents, Bowers said.
The security officers plan to hold a rally and march today in front of 1 Front St. at 4:30 p.m., Bowers said.
— Bay City News contributed to this report
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1:12 PM MST on Fri., Sep. 28, 2007 re: "Workers return from strike to discover missing jobs"
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Apres said:
There are lots of jobs that are in a sense "dead end." Teaching does have a track to management, but so does security work if you prepare yourself through advance education. Few rise to management and in teaching, few rise to department heads or or principals.... The trouble with security is that it is often observation and sign-ins and out, and patrol that are boring and thus unhappiness. It is basically static - a post without much need for supervision. The most skillful will rise to management. You are probably not going to get a living wage or many benefits with a union, but I think a consortium of businesses in a building may be willing to contract more effectively....
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Bob said:
To the security guards: You don't like your low paying job GO back to school, take computer classes, accounting classes; SF City College offers great classes that are either free or low tution I worked in the hotel/resturant business for years and was tired of the low wages and very little benefits; and now 20 years later after year $20,000 I now earn over $65,000 a year working in legal; i worked 50 hour weeks in the resturant business, took classes when ever i had free time; i was tired, some times thinking of giving up but i kept looking for that light at the end of the tunnel;EDUCATION is the key word these days
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Examiner Reader said:
I participated in the strike vote and found the process quite irregular. No secret ballot just signs and multiple proxy votes from Oakland! We were not allowed to walk out of there with a no vote! This union flexes its muscle at the risk of low paying jobs. I feel for the guards at U.P.S. but they should have researched their union like I did and realize that the strike vote was illegitimate. Come on! We waved cards around! How many of those at the meeting were actually SF guards? I saw a few that I knew but not many more. Many of those in purple shirts, Union reps, also voted! Booo! SEIU should get some professional organizers instead of those kids right out of College! Furthermore, the NLRB sets standards regarding strike votes according to other union reps I spoke to. We the workers were mislead by a union attempting to flex its muscle in our front yard without any regard for our welfare!
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City Dweller said:
I'm not understanding the resolution by the BOS in support of the strike when City employees, including SEIU, have no-strike contracts? Typical of this awful Board.
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topoo said:
has anybody ever seen Securitas guards? they look like the exploited from other countries and some are so old, they'll enjoy sleeping on the job, like this is america, what a cushy job. how can they better train guards, they don't do anything except watch people all day long, standing at attention. for what? for the terrorist to make their arrival? it's a lazy man's job, it's not even a real job, most are slouches, many are afro-american. most people do it so they can move onto other things. the worse ones are the lifers, who grow old, fat, lazy, and stupid in this line of work. some can't read or write and they're born in the us of a.
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Examiner Reader said:
I agree. Good for them. The pay could be better,especially at high risk jobs like hospital security and armored cars. Some security officer jobs include first responder,firefighter and emergency medical technician duties. They are the first to respond when something happens. They prevent thefts,handle situations with drugged out people and other stuff before the police arrive. Richard Jewel,the security guard at the Atlantic Olympics,saved many lives had he not seen that backpack before it exploded. Instead,he was accused of setting it up to make him look good. Turned out it be someone else responsible for bombings at abortion clinics. Most security officers are dedicated to their job and do it well. Sure,some tend to abuse their jobs,just like the police but most I know are good people who like their job. They just feel under-appreciated by the client and their security company.
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Examiner Reader said:
Good for them! They are underpaid, underappreciated, and overworked. Most companies get at least $24 per hour for guard service; they should give more of that to the guards. I hope that they can make Securitas, ABM, Guardsmark, etc. see the light and pay them what they are worth.
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