Security guards at universities and office buildings across Philadelphia approved a new union contract this week that includes higher wages and better benefits, writes Ariana Perez-Castells for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The contract for roughly 3,000 guards represented by Service Employees International Union 32BJ expired in October, and negotiations for a new agreement had been ongoing since that time.
“This win is for every security officer who will make a living wage, enjoy real holidays, and be able to provide for their family,” said security officer Tyrone Patterson.
The contract covers members employed by Allied Universal Security Services, Colonial Security Services, GardaWorld Security, Harvard Protection Services, and Securitas, who work at Temple University, the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, and numerous other buildings across Philadelphia.
Under the new contract, the minimum hourly wage will go up from $16.25 to $20.55 over four years. Paid holidays increase from three to six, adding Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and employees with three years of service earn an extra day of paid time off. Healthcare expenses will continue to be fully covered by the employer.
Read more about the new contract Philadelphia security guards received in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
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