Private securityLEOSU Defeats SPFPA for Representing Paragon Protective Service Officers

In an impressive victory, the Law Enforcement Security Officers Union (LEOSU) won the representation election and will be representing the protective service officers at Paragon Systems, Inc. The company protects federal facilities throughout Louisville, Kentucky, including Romano Mazzoli Federal Building, Gene Snyder U.S. Courthouse and Custom House, United States Attorney’s Office, Immigration Court Heyburn Building, SSA and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“LEOSU is the strongest, fastest-growing law enforcement and security police union in America,” stated LEOSU Organizing Director Steve Maritas, “And I promise you that LEOSU will deliver for our new members with Paragon just like we have for our other Paragon PSO members from around the country.”

Most recently, the LEOSU was successful in organizing the 318 Paragon Systems protective service officers working at, and in charge of protecting, thirty federal facilities throughout New York City, the Bronx, and Westchester. This includes 26 Federal Plaza, 290 Broad Street, and 201 Varick Street, which was a target of a deadly shooting of protective service officer Idrissa Camara back on 21 August 2015.

LEOSU is a full-service labor organization formed to provide labor related service from negotiations, grievance processing, legal and legislative representation.

Maritas notes that LEOSU mission is to serve as a voice for law enforcement officers and security professionals, and represent their needs to their employers. “Thousands of law enforcement officers and security police professionals provide a fundamental protective service to federal agencies as contractors,” Maritas said. “These bargaining unit employees need to have their workplace concerns and interests represented to their employer with passion, integrity, and fairness. “LEOSU delivers a comprehensive employee and labor relations program which will provide high quality service to officers by representing their interests and negotiating with the employer for results that create a better workplace. Our union is characterized by three core values: personalized service, transparency, and results.”

An important issue LEOSU representatives address when speaking with groups interested in switching union affiliation, is the quality of LEOSU negotiators and business agents, and the service they provide to their local units. “Calls are returned promptly. Many questions are answered on the spot, more difficult inquiries are responded to immediately after the issue is investigated,” Maritas says.

LEOSU’s  partnership agreements with other 9(b)(3) Security Guard, Security Police, Law Enforcement Unions & Security Training facilities benefit from the expertise and assistance of these International Unions, National Unions. The divisions and affiliate partners within the Union’s structure makes LEOSU one of the strongest 9(b)(3) security unions in Northeast, Midwest and the United States.

After LEOSU called the election, the rival Security Police Fire Protection Professionals (SPFPA) intervened in the election, with SPFPA’s President David Hickey flying to Kentucky to campaign in the election. SPFPA then launched what one union observer described as a “scorched-earth” campaign to tarnish the image and belittle to achievements of LEOSU.

That campaign failed, and LEOSU won the election by a 4-to-1 margin.