Union, Newark Housing Authority Clash After 50 Workers Lose Jobs

NEWARK, NJ — A clash over hiring practices at the Newark Housing Authority (NHA) took place earlier this week after at least 50 security officers – all local residents – found themselves out of work.

About 50 security officers, cleaners and airport workers with labor union 32BJ SEIU massed Tuesday across the street from the Newark Housing Authority’s office. Attendees at the rally included Newark City Council President Mildred Crump and a representative from the office of Central Ward Council Member LaMonica McIver.

According to a statement from the union, the rally was held to protest the NHA’s decision earlier this month to award contracts to two security providers, Pro Cops Security Services and Prime Security Services.

The NHA’s decision left dozens of local residents who had “good, family-sustaining jobs” out of work, union leaders said.

According to a statement from 32BJ SEIU:

“[Pro Cops Security Services and Prime Security Services] have refused to hire the 50 experienced officers and provide meaningful benefits. The rally called on the NHA and contractors to rehire the officers, demanding that the NHA act in the interest of the people it is charged with serving by supporting good, family-sustaining jobs.”

“I have four kids to support and bills to pay,” said Miesha Dowdell, a former security officer. “And now, after being an officer for 12 years, I’m out of a job because the NHA wanted to cut corners. I wasn’t approached for an application and wasn’t told where to apply with the new companies. This is unfair to all of us. This is aggravating and this is stressful.”

Crump said she is supporting the union and its affected members, such as Dowdell.

“It’s not just 50 officers who are out of a job that will suffer, but the entire community,” Crump charged. “This is not what Newark needs.”

“Public dollars should be used to create good jobs in our communities, not to thrust local workers into poverty,” said Kevin Brown, 32BJ SEIU Vice President and New Jersey State Director.

“At least 50 security officers are out of a job because of this reckless decision, and now many of the guards under the new contractors will be completely without quality affordable healthcare and living wages, bringing down the entire community,” Brown said. “This decision, made under the guise of cost-cutting, could result in high turnover rates and leave hardworking people in poverty. Newark needs to support working families, not tear them down.”

NHA RESPONDS: ‘STOP POSTURING AND DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE’

A spokesperson for the NHA rebuked the union’s accusations, calling them “misleading” to its members and the general public.

According to the NHA:

“The Housing Authority has extended contracts to two firms who are under collective bargaining agreements with Local 32BJ. Gateway Security currently employs 104 of Local 32BJ members at the Housing Authority. The balance Local 32BJ coverage was to be augmented by Allied Universal Security. Unfortunately, Mr. Kevin Brown and Local 32BJ have failed to hold Allied Universal to their collective agreement (a picture attached) and as a result they have walked away from their Housing Authority contract leaving his members unemployed. The Housing Authority, needing to fill this void, extended additional coverage work to Pro Cop and Prime Security which are both local minority businesses employing 95% City of Newark residents. We feel that until Mr. Brown and Local 32BJ live to their responsibilities and get Allied Universal to honor their contract, we are still being responsible to the City of Newark community and meeting our HUD Section 3 requirements.”

The NHA statement continued:

“The estimated security contracts if the coverage continues as is and Local 32BJ does not get Allied to honor their contract is as follows: Gateway Security (Local 32BJ member) $3.6 million. Prime Security $1.6 million and Pro-Cop $1.5 million. The Housing Authority budget is currently $4 million so we would exceed our budget to meet the City of Newark required basic coverage for apartment complexes over 100 units.”

“We would like to urge Mr. Brown and Local 32BJ to stop posturing and do their due diligence and enforce their collective agreement with Allied Universal Security so that their membership can return to work,” the NHA stated.

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Brown offered the following statement in reply:

“Allied Universal was only awarded about 15 jobs, not the balance of the work. The bid for security work was flawed in that despite repeated attempts for 5 years by the union urging the NHA to pass a resolution requiring minimum wage and benefit standards— which is required by law for the City of Newark for its bidding process— the NHA refused to include that. Thus, Allied did not include the minimum wage and benefit standards in their bids and was forced to withdraw since they could not fulfill their obligations to union members under the conditions of the bid.”

Brown added:

“Both Prime Security and Pro-Cop did not include any wage and benefit minimum standards in their bid either and the replacement workers they hired are being denied those basic minimum wage and benefit standards. Regardless, Allied Universal employees (32BJ members) did attempt to apply for the positions with Prime Security and Pro-Cop. Only 3 of the 50+ experienced employees were retained to their long-held positions. In the past, even prior to unionization, these workers were always hired by the replacement contractors when there was a change of contractors at the NHA.”

“It’s disappointing that the NHA is attempting to shift the blame,” Brown concluded. “32BJ has worked tirelessly with the NHA for years and it is unfortunate that the Authority, while it is charged with serving the public, is not taking responsibility for its own flawed bidding process.”

• See related article: Union Workers, City Officials Blast Contractor At Ironside Newark

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