Security officers in Queens escalated their efforts for fair labor practices on May 2 by delivering a petition with more than 2,000 signatures to the offices of Narrow Security, located at 87-83 139th St. in Jamaica.
The petition urges the company to commit to upholding established industry standards and to respect workers’ right to union representation.
This action follows a series of recent changes in city security contracts that have alarmed many in the labor community. Over the past six months, the New York City Department of Probation replaced unionized security contractors at two major locations—900 Sheridan Avenue in the Bronx and 345 Adams Street in Brooklyn—with Narrow Security, a firm that is certified on the city’s list of Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBEs).
The switch displaced unionized workers represented by 32BJ SEIU and replaced them with employees under a company that, according to the union, has refused to engage in a fair union recognition process.
“For years, I worked security at 900 Sheridan. It was a good, stable job, and I took pride in connecting with the young people at the juvenile probation center. We had a real community. I had been there for ten years and planned my whole life around my job,” explained Ernestine Gilmore, a longtime security officer now working at 66 John St. and a member of 32BJ SEIU.
“It allowed me to be there for my kids and my family. Then, one day, I barely got any notice that I lost the job. I even applied for it with the new company, Narrow Security. I never heard back. My new assignment has disrupted my homelife. I can’t pick up my kids from school anymore. After dedicating so much of my life to my work, I think I deserve better.”
The union contends that allowing companies to undercut labor protections threatens not only the livelihoods of individual workers but also the broader standards of the entire security industry.
“We can’t stand by while companies lower our hard-won work standards. Even one contractor that offers lower standards can put the entire industry at risk. So while we applaud the city’s commitment to supporting minority businesses, it can’t come at the expense of the industry’s overwhelmingly Black and minority workforce,” stated Israel Melendez, Vice President of 32BJ SEIU.
“We’re calling on the city to use responsible security contractors – and for Narrow to commit to upholding industry standards.”
With 185,000 members in 12 states and Washington, D.C.—including 90,000 members in New York—32BJ SEIU is the largest property service workers union in the country. The union emphasizes that companies benefiting from public contracts must also adhere to practices that promote worker stability, respect, and the right to organize.
