More than 300 private security guards protecting office buildings in Hartford are seeking a new contract to succeed one that expires at the end of the month.
The negotiations on behalf of the security guards began Sept. 4, and are being led by their union, District 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).
The union is negotiating with four companies that are subcontracted to protect buildings for some of the city’s largest corporations, including Aetna, Cigna, Eversource, Otis, The Hartford and Travelers, as well as the Wadsworth Atheneum.
The security firms involved in the negotiations are Allied Universal, GardaWorld, Securitas and SSC Security Services. Officials with each company did not respond to a request for comment.
Rochelle Palache, vice president and Connecticut state director for 32BJ SEIU, said that while the contract is with the security companies, the union believes it is negotiating with the major corporations.
“Our members are taking care of these buildings that these billion-dollar companies operate in,” Palache said. “The fight for a fair contract is with those clients. They influence the process.”
Four years ago, private security officers in Hartford won their first union contract, which included a $3.25-per-hour wage increase, as well as job protections and benefits.
The security officers now earn $16.20 per hour and have benefits that include paid time off (PTO) for vacations, holidays and sick time, Palache said.
The workers, she said, are seeking a fair wage increase and affordable health care. They also want additional paid time off, including for the new federal holiday Juneteenth. The current contract provides for five days of PTO.
Palache said the major insurance companies are expected to present their contract proposals this week during the next in-person negotiating sessions.
“As we enter these negotiations, we are committed to securing a contract that not only maintains the hard-won gains of the past but also builds a future where every security officer in Hartford is treated with the fairness and respect they deserve,” she said.
