Washington, DC—Citing his strong track record for improving life for security officers and all working families, members of the Service Employees International (SEIU) Maryland/DC State Council today announced their endorsement of D.C. City Council member Kwame Brown’s campaign for Council Chairman. The unions committed to a voter outreach campaign, including mailings, door-to-door canvassing outreach and member mobilization in support of Brown’s election.
“Brown helped boost wages for the men and women who work hard to keep District buildings and tenants safe,” said Jaime Contreras, State Council President and Local 32BJ Capital Area Director. “We are confident that as Chairman he’ll help fix a broken system that failed to protect workers and taxpayers from negligent contractors.”
Brown helped pass legislation providing paid sick days for all District workers and the Enhanced Professional Security Amendment Act which sets the wage and benefit level for more than 1,500 security officers protecting private commercial office buildings at $11.51/hour plus $3.16 for benefits. 32BJ SEIU is urging City Council to adopt responsible contracting language to ensure that DC’s residents get quality services for their tax dollars and that workers get good jobs.
“We must ensure that the City award contracts to companies that improve the standard of services for District residents,” said Council member Brown. “I look forward to working with SEIU on continuing to alleviate poverty and move more working families into the middle class.”
The SEIU Maryland and D.C. State Council represent nearly 45,000 members in the areas of health care, public services, education, and the non-profit sector who are united to help improve the workplace and lives of not only SEIU members, but working families across the region. It includes 32BJ, Local 500, 1199 SEIU UHE, Local 400 PG, Local 722, and SEIU NAGE 5000.
“Kwame Brown has been a friend to health care workers and a champion for better wages and benefits for home care workers.” Patricia Lippold, 1199SEIU Political Director.
“Kwame Brown has worked tirelessly for working people, especially many of the suspended Washington Hospital Center support staff who were unjustly disciplined during the blizzard of 2010,” Dan Fields, President SEIU Local 722.
With more than 120,000 members in six states, including 15,000 in the D.C. Metropolitan Area, 32BJ SEIU is the largest property service workers union in the country.
updated 5/19/2010
