Security guards for most of downtown Washington’s office buildings are getting union representation to negotiate their pay, benefits and training under an agreement union officials announced this week.
The agreement was reached between Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ and security firms Admiral Security Services, Allied Barton Security Services and Securitas.
Guards for the three firms are stationed at about 70 percent of downtown Washington’s office buildings. They include the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, National Press Building, Watergate Office Buildings, the National Geographic Building, Gallery Place, National Pubic Radio headquarters, Columbia Square and Lafayette Center.
Until now, the roughly 1,000 guards were not unionized. Some were paid as little as $8.24 per hour, the union says.
“Higher wages would mean I could get what I need to support my family without a struggle,” said Charla Fletcher, an Admiral security officer. “The union will help us get more respect and better training.”
Building owners are wondering how a labor contract would affect their lease rates and security.
Commercial property owners in the District paid an average of 71 cents per square foot for security in 2005, according to the most recent study by the Building Owners and Managers Association International (BOMA), a trade group. Of that 71 cents, 45 cents went for payroll.
“Guards make up the majority of that expense,” said Lisa Prats, BOMA spokeswoman.
In the Virginia suburbs, the average paid for security by commercial property owners was 23 cents per square foot in 2005, BOMA reported. In Maryland, the average was 24 cents per square foot.
Local 32BJ officials said lease rates are unlikely to rise significantly. Reduced costs from lower turnover and better-trained employees would counterbalance most of the higher wages paid to the guards, union officials said.
“When we’ve done this with janitors in D.C., it has cost as little as a penny per square foot,” said Jaime Contreras, Local 32BJ district chairman. “When you’re talking about taking one penny or two pennies per square foot to give people decent wages and benefits, one or two pennies does not have a huge impact on rental rates or the property owners’ bottom lines.”
He was referring to labor contracts Local 32BJ negotiated for Washington janitors of commercial buildings in 1998 and 2003.
Commercial property managers in the Washington area declined to comment on how a security guard labor contract might affect them, saying it is too soon to know for certain.
Local 32BJ received the right to represent the guards through an SEIU organizing campaign that started in March 2004.
SEIU asked the security guards to sign union cards showing their preference to be represented by the union. As a result, the security firms this month signed agreements with Local 32BJ allowing the local to negotiate for the workers.
Labor contract negotiations are scheduled to begin next month.
Local lawmakers supported the workers in joining the union.
“Improved training and compensation can reduce high turnover and turn these dead-end jobs into good jobs that help workers support their families,” said Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, Washington’s nonvoting Democratic delegate in Congress.
c Property Lines runs on Thursdays. Call Tom Ramstack at 202/636-3180 or e-mail tramstack@washingtontimes.com.
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