Deal to boost security guards' pay (40% increase in overall salary and benefits)

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-settle21jan21,1,4210408.story?coll=la-headlines-california

Union set to vote on landmark contract that increases wages and benefits 40% for workers in L.A.
By Ashraf Khalil, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
January 21, 2008

Union officials representing thousands of private security guards in Los Angeles have struck a landmark deal with several property management companies that provide security to 80% of the commercial real estate in Los Angeles County.

The deal results in a 40% increase in overall salary and benefits, according to Faith Culbreath, local head of the security officers' branch of the Service Employees International Union.

"We're very excited," Culbreath said. "We've achieved all our core objectives."

Culbreath declined to discuss specifics of the agreement pending a Jan. 26 ratification vote before the approximately 4,000 local union members.

Another union official, who was speaking on condition of anonymity, called it "the best contract of its kind in the country."

The agreement concludes seven months of negotiations that culminated in a 24-hour final bargaining session that ended early Saturday morning, Culbreath said. It was to be announced today by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who has championed the security guards' cause for years and whose aides were deeply involved in the negotiations, Culbreath said.


FULL story at link.