Security Workers Urge Fenty To "Obey Contracting Laws"
Wednesday, September 22, 2010(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)
Charging that Mayor Fenty is circumventing the City Council's
review processes and is putting city residents at risk, dozens of security
officers and members of SEIU Local 32BJ rallied outside the Wilson Building at
noon yesterday demanding that the Mayor “obey the city’s contracting laws”
and replace U.S. Security – a city and school security contractor – with a
responsible company. “We are here today because we believe that Mayor Fenty
should follow his own responsible contracting laws to protect DC workers from
negligent contractors,” said Kathy Howell (at left), Assistant District
Director of SEIU 32BJ Capital Area. “DC residents pay U.S. Security tens of
millions of dollars a year to protect DC schools and city buildings, but the
company is not making the grade.” Among other issues, the union says that U.S.
Security has failed drills to detect weapons in city buildings and has been
fined repeatedly for violating security and contract requirements, “yet the
company remains the contractor at more than 76 schools and municipal buildings
without the City Council’s approval.” Following the rally, demonstrators
delivered a copy of the contracting code to the Mayor’s office, urging him to
reject any “renewal or extension of U.S. Security’s multi-million dollar
contracts at DC schools and public buildings because of the company’s poor
track record.” The City Council has demanded answers from the Mayor and has
called for a thorough investigation. – report/photo by Adam
Wright