First-Ever Group of Hospital Security Officers to Strike over Unfair Labor Practices, Walk out

[Omaha Steve]

http://sev.prnewswire.com/health-care-hospitals/20080502/CLF09902052008-1.html

OAKLAND, Calif., May 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being issued today by SEIU -- Inter-Con security officers who protect Kaiser facilities will launch an unfair labor practice strike against Inter-Con to defend their civil rights on Tuesday, May 6. This is the first-ever group of hospital security officers to strike. Inter-Con has threatened, intimidated and spied on workers who were trying to form a union for better conditions.

http://www.newscom.com/db/PRN/prnphotos/docs/071/419.thm

The 3-day strike against employer Inter-Con will affect more than 20 Kaiser facilities statewide, and will cover more than 400 Inter-Con workers. Workers from facilities in Oakland, San Francisco, Hayward, Fremont, Fairfield and Union City, Napa, Santa Rosa, Sacramento and Modesto will strike. Los Angeles and other areas in Southern California will also strike on May 8.

Inter-Con officers work for poverty wages, many making as little as $9/hour. Many Inter-Con officers cannot afford to buy the family healthcare coverage offered and do not have paid sick days. By comparison, facility janitors have free family healthcare, make a minimum of $11.50/hour and accrue paid sick leave.

WHAT: Hospital security officers launch first-ever 3-day strike

WHEN: May 6, 2008 * 8 a.m. Start

OAKLAND: 8 a.m. start at Kaiser Oakland Medical Center, 280
W. MacArthur Blvd. * 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. major mid-day picket
lines and action as Inter-Con officers from across the Bay
Area, community supporters, others join the line.

SACRAMENTO: 8 a.m. start at Kaiser South Sacramento Medical Center, 6600
Bruceville Rd.

Call for locations of other picket lines in other areas.

B-ROLL AVAILABLE IN ADVANCE: Inter-Con officers on previous strike.


With 1.9 million members, SEIU is the largest and fastest-growing union in North America and the largest property services union, representing more than 250,000 security officers, janitors, and other service workers. SEIU United Service Workers West represents 10,000 private security officers across California.
Website: http://www.seiu.org/