Politics & Government
1700 New Jersey Security Officers Win New Contract; Will Get Raises To $14
"The raises help us take care of our families and pay our bills without having to work crazy amounts of overtime," a Weehawken worker said.
Nearly 1,700 security officers with 32BJ SEIU New Jersey have agreed to a new, four-year agreement with some of the state’s largest security contractors, including companies in Union, Hudson, Essex, Bergen, Mercer, Middlesex and Passaic counties, the labor organization announced Thursday.
According to a statement from 32BJ, the new contract includes fair wage increases, more paid time off and “language improvements” to address workplace issues. In addition to a minimum wage raise from $11 to $13.75, workers will also get Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a paid holiday.
By the end of the new contract, which expires in 2021, the security officers will earn a median wage of more than $14 per hour. The agreement also maintains current employer-paid healthcare and improves working conditions and job protections, union spokespeople stated.
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The companies who participated in the agreement include:
- Allied Universal Security Services
- Command Security
- G4S Secure Solutions
- Securitas Security Services Inc.
- Gateway Group One Security
- Guardian Service Industries
- Harvard Protection Services
- Iss Facilities Services, Inc.
- SOS Security LLC
- Spartan Security
- Summit Security
- Roman
“The raises help us take care of our families and pay our bills without having to work crazy amounts of overtime or even find secondary jobs,” said Tania Capobianco, a member of 32BJ SEIU’s bargaining committee in New Jersey, who works at a data center in Weehawken.
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“The additional paid time off reassures us that we can take time off for our own care and for the care of our family without being stressed out," Capobianco said.
- See related article: Verizon Strike 2016 (Company, Unions End Epic Labor Standoff)
The victory for security officers is part of an ongoing fight for a $15 minimum wage in the region, union leaders stated.
The new contract, which has not yet been ratified, includes a 25-cent minimum above minimum wage guarantee if a $15 minimum wage becomes law, 32BJ stated.
- See related article: N.J. Airport Workers Demand $15 Living Wage
- See related article: Jersey City Raises Workers' Wages To $15
- See related article: East Orange Bumps Minimum Wage To $15
Send local news tips, photos and press releases to eric.kiefer@patch.com
Photo: 32BJ SEIU
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