In the city’s mission to support minority and women-owned businesses, it can’t leave workers behind.
Every day and every night, security officers are on the frontlines of city-run shelters, courts, and administrative buildings. They deal with all manner of people and problems, working steadfast to safeguard these critical public spaces.
The city has made tremendous strides in recent years to lift the labor standards for these predominantly Black and minority city-contracted workers, while simultaneously prioritizing Minority and Women-Owned security operators. As the leader of the labor union 32BJ SEIU’s 20,000-strong NYC Security Division, and the owner of A&H Security, a Minority-Owned security company that contracts with the city at numerous city shelters, employing 1,000 officers city-wide, we celebrate this progress. In fact, this shortlist proved pivotal in the early success of A&H Security, allowing us to compete for city contracts that laid the groundwork for our later success.
We know firsthand that prioritizing the best interests of Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBEs) and the predominantly Black and minority security workforce are not mutually exclusive.
That’s why we’re alarmed that some M/WBE security operators are pitting workers against M/WBEs.
Within the last six months, we’ve seen two city agencies – the NYC Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications, at 59 Maiden Lane, and the NYC Department of Probation, at 900 Sheridan Ave and 345 Adams Street – replace responsible contractors that pay hard-won industry standards that include family-sustaining wages, high-quality affordable healthcare, retirement plans, and other benefits, with Narrow Security and Private Security Protection Services, Inc. These two companies do not offer a meaningful benefits package and have refused to agree to a process for union recognition for these workers.
This is unacceptable and unnecessary. We can’t stand by while companies are taking the low road, displacing Black and brown workers from good union jobs. Even one irresponsible contractor can put the standards of the entire industry at risk.
These new contractors are both M/WBEs featured on the Department of Citywide Administrative Services’ shortlist of pre-approved vendors. So while the city is prioritizing minority businesses, it must also ensure these businesses are providing family-sustaining jobs for the overwhelming Black and minority workforce. That includes committing to uphold industry standards, and respecting employees’ right to organize.
Israel Melendez, Vice President, SEIU 32BJ, is the Director of the NYC Security Division, leading more than 20,000 members. With 185,000 members in 12 states and Washington D.C, including 90,000 members in New York, 32BJ SEIU is the largest property service workers union in the country.
Felix Cabreja, President, A&H Security Services, leads the largest minority-owned security company in New York City, with more than 1,700+ officers city-wide.
The post Standing Up for New York City’s Contracted Security Officers appeared first on EMPIRE REPORT NEW YORK 2025® NEW YORK’S 24/7 NEWS SITE.
