Senator Clinton, Leading Clergy, Community Leaders Support Local 32BJ 'Stand
For Security' Campaign
Call-to-Action Event Honors Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.
NEW YORK, Jan. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Senator Hillary Clinton, leading
clergy and community leaders today voiced their support for Local 32BJ's
campaign to raise standards for private security officers at an event at the
Manhattan Center honoring the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Brooklyn Congregations Together, a group of eleven churches in central
Brooklyn, co-sponsored the event with Local 32BJ on the eve of Dr. King's
birthday.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020918/SEIULOGO )
"Dr. King taught us that civil rights and economic justice go hand-in-hand,"
said Michael Fishman, Local 32BJ President. "Our campaign for justice for
security officers - who earn poverty-like wages protecting million dollar
buildings - is an appropriate way to carry on King's legacy."
Four decades ago, Dr. King stood up for Memphis sanitation workers who faced
unjust conditions and low wages. At the beginning of their strike in 1968,
they earned an average of just $1.70 per hour, which is now equal to $10.27,
according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Today in New York City, more
than 60,000 men and women, most of whom are African-American, work as private
security officers. Although they are responsible for keeping our city safe
and secure, many officers earn less than $10 an hour, receive no affordable
health care and little, if any, state-of-the-art security training.
"Dr. King has been an inspiration to me since I saw him speak with my church
as a teenager. He reminded us we had the duty - and the power - to make a
difference not only in our lives, but in the lives of others," said Senator
Clinton. "I am honored to pay tribute to his legacy today with leaders from
the faith and labor communities in support of security workers across this
city, as we push to ensure workers are treated with the dignity and respect
they deserve. I know we will continue his work by coming together, working
together, and delivering on the promise of our nation."
"We ask security officers to protect the lives of thousands of people, but we
don't treat them with respect or pay them enough to support their families,"
said Rev. Dr. Johnny Ray Youngblood of St. Paul Community Baptist Church.
"Something is terribly wrong when a person who works a full-time job still
doesn't have enough money to take care of themselves and their children.
There's something wrong with our system when working people have to supplement
their income with welfare."
This spring, security officers will be fighting to increase standards for
wages, health care and training as part of Local 32BJ's "Stand for Security"
campaign. The campaign has picked up momentum in recent months with the
backing of many religious and community supporters, and new campaigns visible
at Jet Blue and Fordham University, which both use Summit, a low-wage security
contractor.
Bishop Eric Figueroa of the New Life Tabernacle, Dr. James Forbes of the
Healing of the Nations Foundations and Hazel Dukes of the New York State
NAACP, along with City Comptroller William Thompson and Congressman Anthony
Weiner were among the leaders calling for better wages, improved benefits and
increased training for security officers.
With more than 85,000 members, including 60,000 in New York City, Local 32BJ
is the largest property services union in the country.
SOURCE SEIU Local 32BJ
Ronnie Sykes, +1-212-388-3676, +1-347-262-4329, or Kate Ferranti,
+1-212-388-3469, +1-917-968-7853, both of Service Employees International
Union Local 32BJ
