New York – In addition to raising wage and training standards for private security officers, 32BJ President Michael Fishman today called on the New York State Legislature to strengthen oversight of the private security industry. The remarks came at a New York State Assembly Codes Committee Hearing, chaired by State Assemblyman Joseph Lentol, which included testimony from industry experts, union and non-union security officers and employers.
“Neglecting private security puts us all at risk,” said Fishman. “The time has come for business to properly train and pay security officers and for government to enforce these higher standards.”
Private Security a Matter of Public Safety
According to the 9/11 Commission Report, eighty-five percent of our nation’s critical infrastructure is controlled not by government but by the private sector. Private sector civilians are likely to be the first responders in any future catastrophes.
“Every day, security officers are expected to protect the millions of people who work, live and visit New York City, yet they struggle to make ends meet on poverty-like wages with no opportunities for career advancement,” said Fishman.
Today’s Codes Committee hearing was prompted by a report from the Community Service Society (CSS), “Shortchanging Security: How Poor Training, Low Wages and Lack of Job Protection for Security Guards Undermine Public Safety in New York City.”
Low-Wage Jobs for a Largely Black and Latino Workforce
According to the CSS report, New York’s security guard workforce is largely composed of men of color. 56 percent are African-American and 21 percent are Hispanic. The median hourly wage for security officers in the New York City area is $10.14 compared to $18.39 for all workers in the metropolitan area. Turnover in the security guard industry nationally is as high as 300 percent.
“The report shows that both private security officers and the public are ill-served by many security contractors,” said David Jones, CSS President. “Poor compensation, inadequate training and little if any job security lead to low morale, high staff turnover and poor quality security service.”
Poor Training and High Turnover at the Empire State Building
“Once I thought there was a bomb in a tourist bag, said Julius Dawkins, a Copstat security officer at the Empire State Building. “When we scanned the bag, it turned out just to be a camera. However, since I don’t have enough training, I couldn’t tell a bomb from a camera.”
Joseph Schiraldi, a Copstat security officer at the Empire State Building for almost four years, testified that turnover is widespread. “I see new employees every week. People leave because of the bad working conditions, bad pay, no training and no benefits. Once I saw a guy so angry that he took off his uniform and threw it in the garbage.”
Eight Hours of Training Insufficient
Another barrier to raising standards is New York State’s security licensing law, written before the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, which requires only 8 hours of pre-hire training and just 16 hours of on-the-job training. More disturbing, many security companies fail to meet these modest requirements.
Labor-Management 40-Hour Security Training Program a Win-Win
32BJ and the Realty Advisory Board (RAB), with technical input from the New York City Police and Fire Departments and John Jay College, created a 40-hour training curriculum for commercial security officers. The training program, called New York Safe & Secure, includes segments on Terrorism, Safety and Fire Protection, Access Control and Security Technology.
Several prominent building owners including Vornado Realty, Tishman-Speyer, Paramount Group and Fisher Brothers have provided their security officers with New York Safe and Secure training. To date, almost 600 security officers have received this state-of-the art security training that has been endorsed by Mayor Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Kelly.
Lowest Bid Procurement Drags Standards Down
Low bid contracting has fostered and perpetuated a system which rewards low-wage, low quality contractors over responsible value-based contractors. “Value-based contractors provide building owners, tenants and the public with higher caliber security protection,” said Fishman.
Industry-Wide Approach and Higher Standards Needed in New York
“A piece-meal approach to security does not work in New York where you are only as safe as your neighbor,” said Fishman. “One doesn’t have to look any further than the Empire State Building, where standards are low, to see why New York City needs industry-wide solutions.”
With more than 100,000 members, including 60,000 building service workers in New York, 32BJ is the largest property service union in the country. |
