United Federation LEOS-PBA Defeats SEIU Local 105 @ Denver International Airport
Denver Colorado 3/31/2021 - On Wednesday March 31, 2021 two hundred and sixty one HSS, Inc security officers working at Denver International Airport voted in favor of joining the United Federation of LEOS-PBA and its affiliated Union LEOSU-CA by a score of 101 to 79.
"This NLRB election was one of the biggest organizing battles our Union has seen in a long time" noted United Federation LEOS-PBA Organizing Director Steve Maritas. "Not only did we have to fight off an employer who used the NLRB process to argue for a manual election before the NLRB which delayed this election for 2 and a half months from its filing back on January 15, 2021, as noted by the documents below, but we also had to fight off a vicious VOTE NO and smear campaign ran by SEIU Local 105 during this period, who presently represented these HSS, Inc. airport security officers based on voluntary recognition by the employer" noted Maritas.
DDE.27-RC-271407.Issued
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"SEIU Local 105 who no doubt had the homefield advantage, as well as the size and money to combat any revolt by its members, not only ran a full blown ANTI-UNION Vote NO smear campaign, they simultaneously ran a "We Can Get You a Cadillac Deal Campaign" because we are SEIU. This strategy consisted of promising HSS officers $5.00 raises just in the first year of the contract plus other benefits which they had failed to do in the past 8 years over multiple contracts combined. It should also be noted that HSS, Inc employees under SEIU Local 105 received NO holiday pay when off and the typical SEIU raise was just $0.45 cents per hour. In addition these low paid HSS Denver airport officers were paying close to $80.00 in dues per month including being charged additional dues when they worked overtime.
The average wage scale raged from $15.91 per hour to $17.61 per hour as noted above. A far cry from SEIU's recent $5.00 an hour proposal which only came about after the HSS officers sought to decertify SEIU Local 105 back on January 15, 2021.
Despite not being seen at Denver International Airport for nearly 3 years, once the NLRB petition was filed, SEIU representatives where suddenly appearing in large numbers at Denver International Airport on all shifts and all areas, the concourses, gates and terminals, 24/7 spreading misinformation and outright lies about our Union and our representatives. They were doing daily text messages, emails, home mailings, home visits and offering ride homes to its members in their attempt to persuade these 261 officers to vote NO". noted Maritas.
Once SEIU Local 105's began its aggressive Vote NO campaign strategy, the United Federation LEOS-PBA went into action by personally reaching out to the HSS officers, holding Zoom meetings and appearing onsite at DIA despite COVID-19 concerns. Frankly our whole strategy was to educate the officers with the truth, supported by real facts as well as the benefits of belonging to a real security Union like the United Federation LEOS-PBA. Thereafter we began a vigorous Vote YES campaign led by a strong committee of HSS airport security officers who were now committed to winning this campaign.
"In the end the majority of the HSS, Inc airport security officers who experienced a similar campaign back in 2018 were not fooled by SEIU Local 105's propaganda smear campaign filled with misleading misinformation, personal attacks and out right lies" noted Mary Vigil who has worked at Denver Airport for over 25 years. "We had enough of SEIU Local 105 and their high priced dues, broken past promises, and the lack of representation" noted Alice Rinebold former SEIU Local 105 Executive Board member.
Charles "Chip" Strebeck, President of the United Federation of LEOS-PBA noted once we are certified by the NLRB we will begin the process of collective bargaining to improve these HSS, Inc airport security officers wages, benefits and other conditions of employment.
United Federation of LEOS-PBA President Strebeck also wishes to personally welcome the 261 HSS, Inc Denver International Airport security officers into the United Federation LEOS-PBA family. "We Promise... We Won't Let You Down!"
