SLAP Demands Justice for Temple Officers

Gaurding with No Security-

Temple Security Officers serve as the protective force for area college students.  Yet, many of the workers employed by Allied-Barton Security live from day to day in a constant state of economic insecurity perpetrated by corpoarte harrassment, mistreatment and greed.  In fact, when five guards recently approached the administration at the University of Pennsylvania to discuss their low pay and lack of benifits and health care and their desire to form a union, Allied Barton responded by suspending the five outspoken leaders.

 

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Students and Community Members Ask Temple to Do the Right Thing.

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

There's something wrong when campus security officers leave their post at night to go home to some of Philadelphia's poorest and least secure neighborhoods.

The officers who work for Allied Barton Security on the campus of Temple University perform an important service for the students, faculty and staff in keeping them safe. I understand that the safety of the campus begins with them and we value their presence in the dorms and academic buildings.

I am concerned that they are not recieving the wages and benefits that they deserve. I support their efforts to organize a union with the Service Employees International Union. I am even more concerned that their employer has allegedly retaliated against union supporters, in violation of their legal rights.

I ask Temple University, as a major customer Allied Barton, to clarify its policy regarding the unionization of its contractors - to the student body, to the community, to the security officers and to Allied Barton Security.

We also pledge to support the security officers as they strive to turn dead-end security jobs into good jobs that our community needs.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
September 28, 2005


Background Information

Security Officer Solidarity Day

Sept. 29th , 3:30 - 4:30

Temple University

at the main campus Bell Tower

 

 

In this country, security has become the number one concern of most people. It is ironic though, that those who protect us often do not receive just compensation or respect. This is the case here at Temple University, where the security officers are responsible for protecting thousands of students, faculty, and university employees on a daily basis. Allied-Barton, the company that provides almost all of the officers at Temple, has refused to recognize or cooperate with an ongoing struggle to unionize security officers. The current working conditions for Temple’s security officers are substandard to say the least. Currently the guards deal with wages that max out at $8.90 per hour, inadequate training and working conditions, and poor healthcare. It is clear that they take their jobs of protecting those of us here at Temple seriously, and yet, Allied-Barton has forced them to survive off salaries that fall in poverty levels and insufficient benefits to take care of themselves and loved ones.

 

Securing the right for these workers to organize into a union would ensure that they receive fair compensation, furthermore it would make sure that the necessary training and working conditions are provided, in return making Temple a safer campus. Allied Barton, however, is fighting tooth and nail to strip these workers of their rights to form a union and has harassed and even suspended union activists.  Your support is essential in this campaign. We as students, parents, community members and people of faith can apply pressure to Temple to make sure that they use our tuition dollars as leverage against Allied-Barton to help improve the guards basic worker’s rights and stop their anti-union practices. 

 

That is why Temple’s Student Labor Action Project (SLAP) has begun a campaign in cooperation with the Temple security guards in order to raise awareness and support for this ongoing battle.

 

 

Security Officer Solidarity Day

Sept. 29th , 3:30 - 4:30

Temple University

at the main campus Bell Tower

 

Please attend this important rally.  Help support those that protect you.