With their contract negotiations stalled, the 1,100 AlliedBarton security guards who work at city-owned buildings authorized a strike that could begin as early as May 16, their union announced May 7 during a rally in lower Manhattan.

Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ has argued that the pay for AlliedBarton guards at city buildings—which starts at $11.50 per hour—and meager benefits are well below the standard for security officers at other companies. The standard in the city is an average of $15 per hour, according to the union, along with a family healthcare plan.

'Have to Feed Families'

"When our tax dollars are paying people to guard our buildings and keep our families safe they should be paid a decent wage; they should have health care," Local 32BJ President Mike Fishman said. "Security officers have said the last thing they want to do is to strike a building in New York. Security officers more than anyone else want to stay on the job, but they have to feed their family."

The current hourly rate is the prevailing wage as set by the City's Comptroller's Office for city contracted security guards. The union is lobbying for that rate to be raised as well.

The union's secretary-treasurer, Hector Figueroa, said that the company has been unresponsive to the union's demand to grant city building workers the same contract terms as AlliedBarton guards working in private sector buildings.

'Tired of the Delays'

"They've been bargaining for about five months now," Mr. Figueroa said. "We are frankly tired of the continuous delay."

The Local 32BJ members work at city buildings including the Municipal Building, various Department of Citywide Administrative Services and Administration for Children's Services locations, and the Staten Island Ferry Terminal.

While AlliedBarton is contracted by the city, because its workers are technically not in the public sector they are not barred from striking under the state's Taylor Law. A DCAS spokesman said that the company has assured the agency that the buildings will have security staff if a strike occurs.