SEIU Security Officers Who Guard Kaiser Permanente Hospitals Nationwide Reach Tentative Agreement for First-ever Union Contract

LOS ANGELES, CA--Security officers with SEIU United Service Workers West reached a tentative agreement late Wednesday night with private security company Securitas on a contract that would include family healthcare and higher wages for the 2,000 officers that are stationed at Kaiser Permanente facilities in California and across the nation. A ratification vote is scheduled for Saturday, July 25.

"This would be a huge step forward for us," said Allen Newland, an officer who protects the South Sacramento Kaiser Permanente Hospital and is a member of the bargaining committee. "We are proud to protect Kaiser patients and staff 24 hours a day. It feels good to have high quality healthcare for ourselves and our families at the same facilities that we protect every day."

The officer bargaining committee will unanimously recommend that the membership of the union vote to ratify what would be a three year agreement covering more than 2,000 security officers that guard Kaiser facilities nationwide. Of those, 1,600 guard facilities in California.

In February, Kaiser Permanente replaced their previous contractor, Inter-Con, with Securitas, who agreed to recognize the officers' choice to form a union as part of SEIU. After the officers formed a union, they entered into negotiations for a first contract.

"The officers never lost sight of what is really important--improving healthcare for themselves and their families, raising salaries, and having time off if they are ill or injured," said Eddie Iny, Secretary-Treasurer of SEIU United Service Workers West. "In the middle of a budget crisis that is hurting working families across California, all parties should be applauded for coming together to reach a fair and just agreement that helps workers achieve a path to the middle class."

Over the last three years, over 7,000 security officers across California have joined SEIU United Service Workers West and improved their working conditions, wages and health care coverage. In 2008, security officers in Los Angeles won first contracts that are among the best ever for security officers. Total compensation--wages and healthcare--increased by nearly forty percent.

Officers who protect Kaiser Permanente facilities join over 30,000 security officers nationwide who have come together in SEIU to raise standards and improve safety across the industry. SEIU is the largest union of private security officers and the largest and fastest-growing union in North America with over 2 million members.

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