Key facts
- Security workers guarding tech company offices in California plan to strike this week.
- The union, SEIU-UWWW, submitted a 72-hour strike notice Tuesday morning.
- Potential strike actions could begin on Friday.
- Companies guarded include Anthropic, Google, OpenAI, Amazon, Microsoft, Salesforce, and Nvidia.
- Negotiations over a master contract have been ongoing for months.
- Security officers are seeking higher wages, better healthcare, and more comprehensive job training.
Security workers who protect the California offices of major technology companies, including Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic, are planning to strike this week. The union representing these workers, SEIU-UWWW, submitted a 72-hour strike notice on Tuesday morning, with potential walkouts beginning Friday. This action could disrupt operations at these tech giants, potentially leading to office closures or work-from-home mandates for employees.
Negotiations between the union and security staffing firms such as Allied Universal, Securitas, and GardaWorld have been ongoing for months. The security officers are seeking improved terms in their master contract, including higher wages, better healthcare benefits, and more comprehensive job training. A spokesperson for SEIU-UWWW indicated that bargaining sessions were scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.
The looming strike occurs at a sensitive time for the artificial intelligence sector, particularly for Anthropic, which recently faced scrutiny over AI safety concerns following a researcher's departure. In late August, Anthropic had already advised its San Francisco staff to work remotely for two days due to potential security team strikes, as reported by Business Insider.
On Tuesday, union members planned a march through downtown San Francisco to Salesforce Tower. Security workers had previously authorized the strike at a rally on September 3. Meta declined to comment, while Amazon, Microsoft, Salesforce, OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and Nvidia did not immediately respond to requests for comment.