SPFPA - International Union, Security * Police * Fire Professionals of America - SPFPA

WHO WE ARE : www.SPFPA.ORG

The SPFPA is the LARGEST, OLDEST and FASTEST GROWING 9(B)3 Security Police Union in the World Today !

The SPFPA is dedicated to service.

The International Union, Security, Police and Fire Professionals of America (SPFPA) have represented Security Police Professionals for over 57 years. As a SPFPA Member, you gain:

The largest and most experienced International Union specializing in Security in the world today.

The service of one of the most prominent labor law firms in the country, and attorneys provided for all arbitration cases.

The legal right to sit down with management and negotiate the issues that are important to you and your families like wages, benefits, and true job security.

A real voice in the workplace.

The advantage of full-time Regional Vice Presidents to service your special needs.

Full-time International Secretary-Treasurer and staff to assist Locals in financial requirements (State and Federal).

Balance to the workplace and level the playing field so everyone gets treated fairly.

The SPFPA Affinity Program including education scholarships for family members.

Education and training programs to include grievance handling and negotiations for all members.

Strong International financial base that enables SPFPA to fully represent their members.

About the Membership

The International Union, Security, Police and Fire Professionals of America (SPFPA) and it's more than 300 local unions throughout the United States and Canada are legally authorized collective bargaining agents for thousands of security professionals.

To address your specialized needs in each security industry, the SPFPA includes representation in the following divisions:

Department of Defense/NASA/Aerospace

Department of Energy/Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Correctional Officer Professionals (C.O.P.)

Casino Hotel Industry Police (C.H.I.P.)

Currency and Security Handlers (C.A.S.H.)

Commercial Arts/Entertainment Security Team (C.A.S.T.)

Securitas

Daimler Chrysler

Court Security Officers (C.S.O.)

Members provide security service for the Department of Defense, NASA, Aerospace, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Federal Courts, nuclear facilities, prisons, detention centers, armored car, casinos, arts and entertainment, universities, hospitals, airports, public utilities, automotive and Industry.

WHY WE EXIST

Law enforcement and security professionals have long been undervalued and poorly compensated. Their value to employers, society and their fellow workers has never been fully recognized or understood. Every day these professionals put their lives on the line, yet they are not credited for the danger they face protecting their management, their employers property, the general public or their fellow employees.

The Security Police and Fire Professionals of America (SPFPA) has been working to correct this injustice for over 50 years.

SPFPA provides Court Security Officers, Nuclear Security Officers, Corrections Officers, Campus Safety Officers, Casino Police, and many other highly specialized security, police and fire professionals with the support necessary for complete, comprehensive, and active representation in the workplace and on the street. Our members are put on a fair and equal footing with the management teams for whom they work.
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SPFPA CONTINUES TO WIN ELECTIONS ALL ACROSS THE UNITED STATES
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1,200 California Inter- Con

CHP Officers Vote SPFPA YES!

After a three year battle to represent 1,200 Inter-Con security professionals working at CHP State Buildings throughout California the SPFPA can now claim “Victory” after these California security professionals saw the benefits of belonging to our union SPFPA.

On March 18th, 2005, these security professionals voted by a margin of over 2-1 in favor of SPFPA!

This election was one of the longest and toughest organizing drives I have ever encountered.

These Inter-con security officers have gone through a lot over the last few years stated SPFPA Organizing Director, Steve Maritas”.We had a turnover rate of over 40 %, no raises in three (3) years, unjust firings with no union representation and to make matters worse the pervious employer lost the contract leaving these officers with millions of dollars in unpaid wages and benefits.

A Lawsuit was filed on behalf of these CHP officers and a settlement is due in early September 2005 amounting to millions of dollars in back pay and benefits.

Inter-Con had appealed the election results to the NLRB in Washington D.C. but was overturned in favor of SPFPA. Negotiations are scheduled to begin in January 2006.
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300 Wackenhut / Alutiiq Security Professionals Working at 4 Different Army Facilities Vote in Favor of Representation by The SPFPA.

Facilities include West Point, New York

Redstone Arsenal, Alabama,Fort Monroe, Virginia and Lake City Army Ammo Plant in Missouri. Presently the SPFPA represents thousands of Wackenhut security professionals nationwide. This includes Military bases, nuclear facilities, correctional facilities, federal, state and county contracts and building locations, Department of Defense ( DOD) and Department of Energy (DOE) facilities just to name a few.
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94 Security Professionals Working for Day & Zimmerman at the Hawthorne Army Ammunition Depot in Nevada VOTE SPFPA YES

Hawthorne, Nevada

94 Security Professionals working for Day & Zimmermann at the Hawthorne Army Ammunition Depot voted by a 62-2 margin in favor of representation by the SPFPA on July 16, 2005.

Richard Strumatt the lead security officer who helped in organizing these security professionals stated “ we finally have a real union who will help back us up”.

Prior to organizing with the SPFPA these officers where covered under a collective bargaining agreement by a small independent union known as the Peacekeepers Union out of Oakland California. Strumatt stated “ wherever we would call the Peacekeepers Union for help in filing a grievance they would never respond to our calls. However when I would call the SPFPA International either Steve Maritas or the International President David L. Hickey would respond to my calls.”

Security Professionals Working at Military Bases from around the United States are Seeking to Organize with the SPFPA.
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150 Chenaga Security Professionals at Fort Sam Houston have voted SPFPA YES on July 21st.
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220 Alutiiq-Mele Security Professionals choose SPFPA over UGSOA!

220 Alutiiq-Mele Security Professionals who Protect Federal Buildings in Miami Florida voted for SPFPA on August 16th. This group was previously represented by UGSOA a small rival organization. UGSOA only received 5 votes out 220 eligible voters. Good Job Fellows!
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SPFPA WINS IN PUERTO RICO!

40 armed and unarmed security professionals working for

Eagle Technologies, Inc. at two Federal buildings in Aquadilla (Borinquen) and San Juan, Puerto Rico voted SPFPA YES on September 23rd. SPFPA is presently setting its sites on organizing Puerto Rico since many of the security professionals working their are poorly paid with no benefits or voice.

Despite the fact that this employer put a very aggressive
anti-union campaign these security professionals prevailed.

We welcome you Puerto Rico to the SPFPA family.
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160 Security Professionals working for Management & Training Corporation at the Otero County Prison in New Mexico voted SPFPA YES on September 9th.
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35 Security Professionals working for Day & Zimmerman in Joliet Illinois voted SPFPA YES on September 9th.
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Security Professionals working for Securitas at the Maine Yankee Nuclear Plant voted unanimously for SPFPA representation on September 1, 2005. This recent win adds to the 60 + nuclear facilities SPFPA already represents.
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Securitas Security Professionals Working at the GM Stamping Auto Facility in Michigan and at the Hummer Auto Plant in Indiana voted YES for SPFPA In May and July.
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30 Security Police Officer Professionals Working For the BAA
Indianapolis Airport have voted YES for SPFPA July 21
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30 Security Professionals working for Ree’s Contract Services in Iowa voted YES for SPFPA on JULY 22.
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125 Securetran Security Professionals Working at the Cruise Terminals in the Port of Seattle Voted YES for SPFPA on June 26th.
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220 Alutiiq-Mele Security Officers who Protect Federal Buildings in Miami Florida voted for SPFPA on August 16th. This group was previously represented by UGSOA a small rival organization. UGSOA only received 5 votes out 220 eligible voters. Good Job Fellows!

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SPFPA Announces its National Campaign to Organize Loomis Fargo & Co Security Professionals all Across the United States.

The SPFPA International has announced it is starting a National Campaign this August to organize security professionals working for Loomis Fargo & Co all across the nation.

This announcement comes after a series of victories by the SPFPA in New Jersey, Baltimore, Connecticut, Vermont , Pennsylvania and Texas.

SPFPA has decided to start a national campaign against Loomis Fargo & Co after receiving repeated calls from many security professionals from around the country.

Many of these officers have stated, that Loomis Fargo DOES NOT treat them with RESPECT. “They do what they want when they want, and when you complain to management your told If you don’t like it there's the door.” Stated one Loomis Fargo Officer from New York.

Many of these officers have legitimate complaints about safety issues including working two man routes, long hours without overtime pay and low pay.

Presently the SPFPA represents about 1500 Loomis Fargo & Co officers at over 20 facilities.

SPFPA national campaign will center on getting the RESPECT these officers deserve which includes higher wages, yearly raises, retirement benefits, affordable healthcare, safer working conditions, protection against unjust firings and overtime after 40 hours
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SPFPA Fights to Unionize 500 Kansas City Airport Screeners after 2 Year Battle

KansasCity.Com

LABOR SCENE


Posted on Tue, Jun. 28, 2005

At KCI, tension mounts over union

By RANDOLPH HEASTER

Columnist


Hourly employees of the private security firm at Kansas City International Airport participated in a union election last week, but the results remain unknown. The employer and union continue to battle over legal issues.

Central to the dispute is whether more than 500 security screeners for FirstLine Transportation Security Inc. are eligible to engage in collective bargaining. FirstLine has a contract with the Transportation Security Administration to handle baggage screening at KCI, one of five airports nationwide that uses private screeners.

The Overland Park regional office of the National Labor Relations Board ruled that it had jurisdiction to hold the election, said Dan Hubbel, assistant to the NLRB regional director. Employees voted over three days last week on whether they wanted to join the International Union, Security, Police and Fire Professionals of America, or SPFPA.


However, FirstLine appealed the ruling to the NLRB in Washington, which has yet to consider the matter. Therefore, the votes of the FirstLine employees have been impounded until a decision is made by the Washington board.

FirstLine contends that the employees cannot engage in collective bargaining because the federal screeners of the Transportation Security Administration cannot do so due to national security concerns. In January 2003, the federal Department of Transportation made the determination that TSA airport screeners are not entitled to join a union.


FirstLine employees “essentially perform the same function using the same equipment and are acting under the direction and control of the TSA,” said Steve Schuster, a Kansas City attorney representing FirstLine. “If the TSA says that its employees should not engage in collective bargaining, that same rationale and public policy should apply to the private sector as well.”

A union official said private-sector employees are not subject to the Homeland Security Act’s prohibitions regarding union-organizing.


“We believe this is just a stall tactic to take away the rights of the screener,” said Steve Maritas, SPFPA International Organizing Director. “We prevailed in the first process of the NLRB, and we believe we’ll win the appeal, also.”


The Transportation Security Administration was created and took over the role of security screening at airports following the September 2001 terrorist attacks. In 2002, five airports were allowed to contract out the security services: KCI, San Francisco International Airport, Greater Rochester (N.Y.) International Airport, Jackson Hole (Wyo.) Airport and Tupelo (Miss.) Regional Airport.


In April 2004, a study commissioned by the Transportation Security Administration showed that FirstLine’s operations at KCI generally outperformed the federal screeners at other airports. Late

last year, FirstLine had its contract extended one year to continue its screening services on behalf of the federal government at KCI.


Other airport operators around the country are now looking into hiring private screening firms. Those decisions could be affected by the outcome of the legal battle in Kansas City, Schuster said.

“This has national implications, quite frankly,” he said.

Maritas said the SPFPA got involved in the FirstLine campaign last December, after the NLRB ruled that the screeners were considered guards and could not be organized by two other unions that had tried in the past, the Machinists and United Steelworkers.

“They want to join the union because of safety issues and respect,” he said. “People are lifting heavy bags and getting injured. Then they are poorly treated by the company.”

Maritas said his union also believes that FirstLine employees have been underpaid under prevailing wage laws. Under these wage rules, guards are paid $16.67 an hour in the Kansas City region, and Maritas said FirstLine has a two-tiered wage system that pays some people $15 an hour and others $13 an hour.

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