The union representing Penn’s security officers ratified a new contract on Wednesday with Allied Universal Security Services — the University’s security contractor — that will secure expanded protections and increased wages.
The ratification took place on Nov. 10 and came after officers had mobilized across the city, holding rallies and meeting with elected officials. According to a statement from the Service Employees International Union 32BJ, the union which represents the workers, security officers were “fully prepared to authorize a strike” before the deal was finalized.
The final agreement delivered the largest raise for security workers in SEIU 32BJ’s Philadelphia history.
The minimum hourly wage will rise from $16.25 to $20.55 over four years, and officers earning above the minimum pay scale will also receive a full $4.30 increase. The contract additionally added three new paid holidays — Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Martin Luther King Jr. Day — and expanded paid time off for long-term employees.
“This win is for every security officer who will make a living wage, enjoy real holidays, and be able to provide for their family,” security officer and bargaining committee leader Tyrone Patterson said in a press release. “Four years from now, there will be a security officer who probably won’t know what it took to get here but will reap the benefits of what we just did.”
Beyond wages, the agreement maintains employer-funded health insurance that includes dental, vision, and life coverage — a benefit the union said will amount to thousands of dollars per year for workers.
The contract also introduced short-term disability benefits, limited mandatory overtime, and expanded non-discrimination language.
The new protections come amid broader concerns raised by security officers about job safety and training.
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A union survey conducted earlier this year found that many officers were not earning enough to meet basic expenses and had received little recent training, despite regularly responding to emergencies on campuses and in city buildings.
In response to these concerns, City Councilmember Isaiah Thomas introduced legislation in June that would require employers to provide standardized training for security officers, including CPR, de-escalation, and emergency response. The bill remains under consideration.
Temple Hospital security officer Daquan Gardner said in the press release that the agreement reflects the dignity of workers whose presence often goes unnoticed.
“We didn’t just win a contract, we claimed dignity, respect, and our rightful place in this city,” Gardner added. “We are the people who protect this city from sunrise to sundown.”
Since first unionizing in 2012, Philadelphia’s organized security workforce has grown from about 2,500 officers to roughly 3,000.
The new contract applies to guards employed by private security contractors including Allied Universal, Colonial Security Services, GardaWorld Security, Harvard Protection Services, and Securitas.
