July 31, 2023 Arizona - The ninety three (93) ISS Action transportation security officers performing guard functions as defined by Section 9(b)(3) of the Act, employed by the Employer at its Border Control Facilities in Tucson and Nogales Arizona voted 51 to 11 in favor of joining our Union, United Federation LEOS-PBA Law Enforcement Officers Security & Police Benevolent Association.
"This was just another embarrassing loss for the SPiT-FA organization and its President David L. Hickey who got CRUSHED by our Union United Federation LEOS-PBA once again by a score of 51 to 11" noted United Federation LEOS-PBA President Charles Chip Strebeck.
Back on June 5th 2023 SPiT-FA suffered another embarrassing loss to our Union, United Federation LEOS-PBA Law Enforcement Officers Security & Police Benevolent Association when 140 Paragon Systems, Inc Protective Service Officers (PSO's) voted by a score of 36 to 18 to leave SPiT-FA and join our Union, United Federation LEOS-PBA. The certification of this NLRB election is still pending after SPiT-FA had filed Objections to the Election on a technicality based on the Employer, Paragon Systems, Inc sending in a voter list with a typeset of 8 vs 10. On March 15th 2023 these Boston PSO's contract expired and to date SPiT-FA has not even begun to start negotiations on behalf of these Paragon Boston PSO's. Based on the above actions by SPiT-FA and their inability to negotiate a new CBA pending the NLRB's decision these 140 Paragon Boston PSO's are in jeopardy of not receiving a wage increase come this October 1, 2023.
SPiT-FA Paragon Boston Local Union President Lisa M Fiore said it best about her own Union, SPiT-FA as noted by her email to us. Please note we changed the name to SPiT-FA from their actual acronyms." I am wondering if you know when the change of guards will take place. SPiT-FA has been CRICKETS which doesn't surprise me so I wanted to know if you could enlighten me.
It has come to our attention that SPiT-FA President Lisa M. Fiore has just recently resigned as SPiT-FA President of Local 545 in Boston leaving NO Executive Board members. Please NOTE Lisa M. Fiore has put out an email in response to SPiT-FA's letter to the Boston Paragon PSO's below.
To add insult to injury the Boston Paragon PSO Contract expired back on March 15th 2023 and as of Aug 6th the SPiT-FA International Union has not even started negotiations on behalf of these Boston Paragon PSO's which needs to be completed by Aug 31st to get any type of wage increases for Oct 1, 2023.
I write today to announce my resignation as the local union President regretfully. Due to the ongoing situations, I lost my lioness to fight the fight and to move forward within this organization that does not care about its members. I had no backing from our international union, my name has been dragged through the mud, and my integrity and morals have come into question because of the incompetence of our international". ( Referring to the SPiT-FA International Union headed by its President David L. Hickey).
Former Paragon Boston SPiT-FA Local 545 President Lisa M. Fiore.
Troubles Continue to Grow for SPiT-FA!
SPiT-FA is also facing several decertification NLRB elections whereby it's members are either waiting for an election date and/or are in the process of voting to join our Union. This includes the 335 Paragon Systems, Inc Court Security Officers (CSO's) and Special Security Officers (SSO's) protecting the 12th Circuit District Courts in Washington DC as noted below.
In El Paso Texas, 500 Paragon Professional Services, LLC and Asset Protection Security Services, LLP Detention Officers filed a Decertification petition with the NLRB to decertify its current union SPiT-FA. Once they realized they could NOT be without any type of Union representation they had contacted the United Federation LEOS-PBA Organizing Department and our representatives immediately flew down to El Paso, Texas and met with these SPiT-FA detention officers and began to sign them up. SPiT-FA is presently contesting the NLRB petition as we wait for a NLRB direction of election.
On August 1, 2021 our Union United Federation LEOS-PBA had just filed another NLRB election to represent the 150 Paragon Systems, Inc Protective Service Officers (PSO's) in Hawaii, Guam, Saipan, & American Samoa as noted below.
Paragon PSO's Are Running Away by the Hundreds to Leave SPiT-FA in their Latest Loss in Georgia whereby 363 Paragon Systems, Inc Georgia PSO's Just Voted to Leave SPiT-FA.
On August 3rd the 75 Paragon PSO's in El Paso, Texas VOTED Against SPiT-FA by a score of 6 to 5 in another embarrassing loss for SPiT-FA. The real embarrassment here is that only 11 Paragon PSO's out of 75 even bothered to vote.
Other NLRB pending petitions filed by our Union United Federation LEOS-PBA against SPiT-FA and/or ongoing elections between our Unions include the Whitestone Group in Colorado, California, and Maryland, American Security Programs ASP / Allied Universal @ the World Bank locations in Washington DC and Maryland, and the Paragon Protective Service Officers PSO's in New York City & Kentucky just to name a few.
In other unrelated NLRB election matters Patronus Systems Inc / SPiT-FA VP @ Large Rick O'Quinn's Wife is Under a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) Investigation which is presently pending.
The Department of Labor is also investigating $160,000 of missing money from one of SPiT-FA's Disneyland locals in California: SPiT-FA Disney Local under DOL Investigation - allegedly received Payoffs to affiliate with Union.
The Department of Labor has also started a Nationwide Investigation into SPiT-FA's 410k Health and Welfare funds. See below.
Danny Chavez one of the ISS Action Transportation Officers (Center) describes his experience with SPiT-FA over the last 12 years.
To whom it may concern:
On April 25th my coworkers and I employed at ISS Action in Tucson Arizona became aware that our window of opportunity to petition the NLRB for an election was soon to start on May 2nd.
We had been under SPiT-FA for at least 12 yrs. Nobody knew who the members were, the local was being ran by the President who was also the chief Stewart and the CBA was about to end on July 30th. We could not afford another contract under this horrendous regime. Our questions never got answered and nobody from international ever visited us to see how we were doing! Our grievances were never forwarded or dealt with. If you were not in the President's circle, you were not represented on any issues.
Our pay to this day falls 26% from closest competitor doing the same job and almost same government contract.
So if we wanted change, we needed to act fast and gather the 30% showing of interest. We looked around and considered other Unions but as we spoke to Mr Maritas and United Federation LEOS-PBA representatives, it was clear that they were ready to fight our fight. To our surprise, Mr Maritas had organized this same unit back in 2008. He even remembered some specifics about some of the SPiT-FA members. To him and his representatives, this was a personal challenge.
On May 3rd, my coworkers and I decided to give us a chance at better working conditions, benefits and pay and contacted Mr. Maritas to help us organize.
In 13 days we had already surpassed our 30% and to our surprise, Mr Maritas and his team jumped on a plane and spent two days on a meet and greet with our coworkers. They answered all questions including the personal ones that SPiT-FA circulates as a smear campaign. During this time we gathered even more signatures and show of interest nearing 50%. It was at this time that after 12 years of abandonment by SPiT-FA a man that nobody knew by the name of Dwayne Phillips showed up to do a meet and greet.
Some guy by the name of David Hickey send us a personalized letter. All of a sudden they cared!! But it was too late...
The election started on 6/27 and our votes will be tallied on 7/18. It has been a great learning experience for all of us involved in this election.
Mr. Maritas and his team to include Mr. Strebeck have been along side us every step of the process! We are excited to get United Federation LEOS PBA local 849 going soon!
If you wish to join or form a security union at your workplace them please join the United Federation LEOS-PBA Law Enforcement Officers Security & Police Benefit Association the true authority of Law Enforcement, Protective Service Officers, Special Police Officers, Security Police Officers, Nuclear Security Officers, K9 Handlers, Court Security Officers CSO's, Detention Officers, Transportation Security Officers TSO's, Security Officers, Security Guards and Security Professionals nationwide. Contact us today @ 1-800-516-0094 or visit our website @ www.LEOSPBA.org
Organizing: 1-800-516-0094
United Federation LEOS-PBA (202) 595-3510