32BJ of SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION
Dec. 18, 2025
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Simon Davis-Cohen
917-374-1358
NYC Council Passes Historic Public Safety Legislation Setting Industry Standards for Security Officers
Photos/videos available here
Aland Etienne Safety and Security Act will address a turnover crisis in security industry by setting industry standards for wages, benefits, paid time off
Bill named for union 32BJ SEIU security officer who sacrificed his life in July Midtown mass shooting
Despite risking their lives daily, thousands of the largely Black and Latino private security workforce lack healthcare, live paycheck to paycheck
New York, NY – Today, on Thursday, December 18, the New York City Council passed the Aland Etienne Safety and Security Act. Sponsored by Speaker Adrienne Adams, this historic legislation will help address a turnover crisis plaguing the private security industry, where the average officer makes $40,311 and 37.8% lack health insurance through their employer or the employer of a household member. To stem this crisis, the legislation guarantees wage, benefits, and paid time off standards for the city’s 81,900 private security officers. The legislation is now on the Mayor’s desk.
The legislation is named for Aland Etienne, the security officer and 32BJ SEIU member who was tragically killed while trying to save lives during the July mass shooting at 345 Park Ave. Etienne’s family has testified in support of the Act, which honors Etienne’s legacy by recognizing and uplifting the frontline workers New York increasingly relies on as first responders, while also bolstering public safety.
The Aland Etienne Safety and Security Act:
The legislation will guarantee minimum compensation standards for the approximately 60,000private security officers who are not currently covered by the prevailing wage or comparable wage mandate. The legislation outlines a local, industry-wide standard for wages, benefits and paid time off, to be phased in per the following timeline:
- Year 1: Hourly Wage – Security officers must be paid a wage that is no less than the wage set for private sector security officers employed on city contracts. The current rate for city-contacted officers is $18.02-$21.201 (the higher rate for officers with 3+ years of experience or 1+ years of experience and who meet specified training certifications receive the higher rate.)
- Year 2: Paid Time Off – Security officers must be provided with no less than the paid time off required for private sector security officers employed on city contracts. Paid time off includes holidays, vacation, and sick leave.
- Year 3: Benefits Supplement – Security officers must be provided with no less than the benefits supplement required for private sector security officers employed on city contracts. This can be provided in the form of benefits, cash, or a combination of the two.
Previous versions of the Act included requirements for employer-provided training. In the final version of the bill, legislators opted not to require additional training, and to leave the existing state standards as the baseline.
32BJ SEIU President Manny Pastreich: “In July, we lost our union brother Aland Etienne in a senseless act of violence. Aland gave his life trying to protect others. He is a New York hero. In his memory, we have been fighting to recognize and uplift the thousands of security officers like him. Despite putting their lives on the line to keep our city safe, security officers have been overlooked for too long. The Aland Etienne Safety and Security Act will ensure each and every security officer can earn a living wage, access affordable health care, and take time off to recuperate. This marks a historic win for thousands of working people. We are proud to be uplifting the people like Aland who are on the frontlines of keeping our city safe.”
Rachelle Paoli, Aland Etienne’s partner: “Aland was someone who protected and uplifted others. He protected the public on the job. And as a father, partner, brother, son and mentor he did whatever he could to uplift not just his family and friends, but strangers and colleagues alike. I am grateful that today, we can honor his legacy by supporting his colleagues across the city. Protect the protectors – honor Aland’s legacy.”
Raven Skinner, NYC Security Officer: “Each and every day, Aland showed up with real drive and dedication to keep everyone coming in and out of the skyscraper at 345 Park Avenue safe. He inspired me to be a better security officer and a better parent. Ultimately, Aland gave his life trying to protect the people he worked with. By recognizing the thousands of security officers like him, we are honoring Aland’s memory and legacy.”
Clarissa Baynes, NYC Security Officer: “The Aland Etienne Safety and Security Act will change my life. I don’t have good health coverage, and I’ve had a few health problems pop up over the years. Each time, I’ve had to pay out of pocket for medical care. As I get older, that’s terrifying. It’s a relief to know that this legislation includes a benefit supplement that my employer could use to provide quality care. That would mean I could take care of my health and not live in fear about what will happen if I get sick.”
Councilmember Crystal Hudson: “Today’s bill passage is proof this Council will always stand for the front-line workers who are all too often left behind. Thanks to the advocacy of 32BJ and security officers across the five boroughs, every security worker will have strong workplace protections and a partner in government to hold their employers accountable. This is just the start of our work to enact Aland’s legacy. We will continue to stand up for those too often left behind and fight for a more compassionate city for all.”
Councilmember Linda Lee: “Security officers like Aland Etienne are courageous and essential workers who stand on the frontlines during emergencies. Intro. 1391 will provide these officers with the pay parity and benefits they deserve to create a safer, more supportive work environment. I thank the Etienne family, the advocates, and Speaker Adams for their leadership on this important issue.”
Councilmember Shahana Hanif: “Security guards are essential to our city’s safety, yet too often they face low, minimal protections, and inadequate training. I’m proud to co-sponsor the Aland Etienne Safety and Security Act to ensure every officer receives fair pay and benefits, so they can go home safely. We owe it to Mr. Etienne and all workers who keep our communities safe.”
Councilmember Lynn Schulman: “Security guards are often our first line of protection, keeping our public buildings and communities safe every day. This bill, which honors Aland Etienne, a 32BJ SEIU union member and security guard who was killed while guarding the lobby of 345 Park Avenue in the July 2025 Midtown shooting, ensures that the workers we rely on are treated with dignity and fairness. By guaranteeing minimum wage, paid vacation time, and supplemental benefits — security guards will deservedly have the protections they deserve.”
Karla Walter, American Worker Project, American Progress: “New York City is often a leader in adopting policies to promote decent standards for its workforce, yet front line private security officers all too often are paid poverty wages and receive insufficient benefits. Pro-worker policies such as sectoral compensation standards help make work pay, guarantee a stable, well-qualified workforce, and reestablish the city as a national leader.”
Theodore A. Moore, Executive Director, ALIGN: “We’re proud to stand with the members of 32BJ to celebrate higher wages and stronger benefits for security workers across NYC. This is a monumental victory for workers who protect New Yorkers every day and a mandate to raise wages across sectors, to make NYC a place where every New Yorker can thrive.”
Cassandra Gomez, Senior Staff Attorney, National Employment Law Project: “New York City has been a leader in striving to meet the needs of workers in our city by enacting tailored job standards and workplace protections. We applaud the City Council and our partners at 32BJ for this important victory toward bringing security guards closer to a good-jobs economy, where every job pays a living wage.”
Ivan Luevanos-Elms, Executive Director, Local Progress Impact Lab
“Security officers put their safety on the line every day. New York City passing the Aland Etienne Safety and Security Act is a huge win for workers everywhere by raising standards for worker safety, wages, and benefits. Workers make our cities run, and at a time when federal labor protections are under attack, localities like New York City are leading the way with bold and innovative policies that ensure workers have stability, dignity, and security.”
Dennis Fan, Associate Clinical Professor of Law, Columbia Law School: “The City Council’s passage of the Aland Etienne Safety and Security Act marks a courageous step forward to ensure the wellbeing of security officers who protect New Yorkers. The project of raising local minimum wages in the city has been decades in the making, and with this bill, New York City has engaged in a thoughtful response to the unique risks that come from working in the densest urban area of the United States.”
Enrique Lopezlira, Director, Low-Wage Work Program, UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education: “With tens of thousands of security guards in NYC earning wages far below what is needed to meet basic living costs, this legislation puts the city on a path to better align wages and the overall job quality of these workers with the essential role they play in public safety.”
BACKGROUND
A recent UC Berkeley Labor Center report underscores the urgent need for this legislation: while on the frontlines of all kinds of emergencies, ranging from active shooters, fires, and terrorism to health emergencies, many of the city’s nearly 82,000 private security officers are living paycheck to paycheck.
- NYC security guards earn a median income of $40,311, which is less than 40% of the city’s Area Median Income – even though 84.7% of the guards work full-time and 88.7% work the full year.
- 37.8% are without health insurance through their employer or the employer of a household member.
- The combination of poor wages and benefits, hazardous job conditions, and a lack of local training standards has led to a turnover crisis in the industry. The security services sector in New York City had a turnover rate of 77% in 2024 – sapping experience and hurting public safety in New York City. The rate was 69.3% before the pandemic in 2019.
- Meanwhile, private sector turnover in New York City decreased from 65.0% in 2019 to 58.1% in 2024, “after a temporary spike during the pandemic.”
- The report also found that more than three-quarters of security guards or 77.3% are men, and 90.6% are workers of color — with Black workers accounting for half of guards; another 44.7% of guards were born abroad.
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With more than 185,000 members in 12 states, 32BJ SEIU is the largest property service workers union in the country. 32BJ SEIU represents more than 85,000 building service workers in NYC, including 20,000 security officers. 32BJ SEIU members hail from 64 different countries and speak 28 different languages.