In a groundbreaking victory in their second-ever contract,
Security Officer members of SEIU Local 26 in Minneapolis and Saint Paul won
access to affordable health insurance, higher wages, improved training and
equipment, and sick leave in a tentative contract agreement reached
late last night with their employers.
“I have four kids without health insurance, so this contract
will make all the difference for my family,” said Howard Worley, a security
officer at Town Square
in Saint Paul
and a member of the union bargaining committee. “Now we need to keep it going
and win affordable health care for everyone who stood with us and for all
working families in Minnesota.”
The five-year agreement, which will be put to a ratification
vote on Saturday with a recommendation by the bargaining team for approval,
includes the following improvements:
- Affordable health care
for full-time security officers for the first time ever.
o Single Coverage
reduced to $20 per month. The employer’s premium contribution for single
coverage will increase from as little as 57% now to 96% by the end of the
contract, while the monthly cost to employees will drop from as much as $190
per month now to $60 per month immediately and $20 per month by the end of the
contract.
o Family Coverage
reduced to $260 per month. The employer’s premium contribution for family
coverage will increase from as little as 20% now to 65% by the end of the
contract, while the cost to employees to cover themselves and their children will
drop by as much as $570 per month and will be capped at $260 per month for the
duration of the contract.
- Major wage increases
of 25% - 32%. Wages will
increase by at least 50 cents in each year, with some officers seeing increases
of up to $3.20 over the course of the contract.
- A process for building
stronger training and equipment standards to improve public safety in Minneapolis and Saint
Paul. Officers at Block E in downtown Minneapolis have already been fitted for
bullet-proof vests as a result of heightened public awareness due to security
officers’ efforts.
- Sick days that will
allow full-time security officers to access the health care they need to stay
healthy at work.
The tentative bargaining agreement with security
contractors ABM, Allied Barton, American, Securitas, and Viking
comes after officers held a one-day strike in February highlighting
the need for affordable health care for all Minnesotans.
“This victory for security officers is a major step forward
in restoring Minnesota’s
middle class,” said Javier Morillo,
president of SEIU Local 26. “Now, working families in the Twin Cities are
prepared to keep up the fight to show what can and should be done to ensure
everyone in our state has access to quality, affordable health care.”