San Diego, California - The 210 Paragon Systems, Inc protective service officers PSO's from San Diego & Imperial Counties in California have a golden opportunity to get a wage increase come this July 1, 2024 as Paragon Systems, Inc has just been awarded the San Diego Federal Protective Service contract once again.
Back on January 1, 2024 these same San Diego PSO's received the highest wage increase ever which reflected a $2.77 wage increase plus a H&W increase which brought them over $3.00 an hour as well as putting them at a wage rate of $40.00 an hour which is one of the highest wage rates any Paragon PSO anywhere in the country is presently receiving other than our Los Angeles Paragon PSO members who are at $40.57 per hour.
On Saturday June 8, 2024 Paragon PSO Local 52 held a local picnic paid for and attended by our International Union, United Federation LEOS-PBA. At this Local 52 picnic United Federation LEOS-PBA President Charles "Chip" Strebeck had an opportunity to discuss the benefits of belonging to our Union and how our Union was successful over the past 3 years in negotiating the highest wage and benefit rate increases not only on behalf of the PSO's in San Diego / Imperial Counties and Los Angles but all over the country which included New York City, Upstate New York, Boston and Washington DC just to name a few.
United Federation LEOS-PBA Local 52 will be holding its annual picnic for Imperial counties Paragon PSO members on June 22, 2024. Pictures to follow.
Presently a new start up Union called CPSOA associated with SPiT-FA has filed a decertication petition by an individual from Los Angeles who has nothing to do with San Diego with the NLRB in their attempt to interfere with our negotiations for a wage increase come this July 1, 2024. Based on our current support by our Local 52 members as noted by our email below, calling for Dwight Bendigo associated with CPSOA / SPiT-FA to withdraw his decertification NLRB petition supported by almost 80% of the 210 PSO members in San Diego we are confident that we will not only win this upcoming NLRB decertification election but we will be successful in negotiating once again the highest wage increases these San Diego Paragon PSO Local 52 members have ever received.
SPiT-FA President Dave Hickey looks foolish once again as Hickey has no idea on what he is talking about as he continues to misrepresent by providing misinformation on what is really going on in San Diego in one of his newest Podcast YouTube Videos. In this particular YouTube Podcasts video, Hickey is seen and heard congratulating San Diego PSO's about NOT requesting the withdrawal of the pending decertification petition filed by an individual / Executive Board member out of Los Angeles associated with and supported by CPSOA / SPiT-FA.
Much to Hickey's surprise the majority of the 210 Paragon PSO's in San Diego had signed a petition demanding that Bendigo withdraw his decertification petition which was affecting our wage negotiations, whereby the Company was reluctant to negotiate a July 1, 2024 wage increase pending this decertification petition, which Bendigo refused to withdraw.
Dear Brothers & Sisters PSO's Local 52,
We wish to give everyone an update on what is going on. Last week, I sent an email to Dwight Bendigo, a Los Angeles individual who filed a decertification election on behalf of the 210 Paragon San Diego PSOs, asking him to withdraw his NLRB petition, which he and his Union CPSOA / SPiT-FA refused to do which was affecting your wage increases for July 1, 2024.
Thereafter, we asked our members to take action by signing our online form requesting Bendigo to withdraw his pending NLRB decertification petition. Within three (3) days, we had received over 130 signatures from the Local 52 PSO members calling for Bendigo to withdraw his NLRB petition immediately. Once again, Bendigo refused.
On June 11, 2024, we sent an email to Paragon's General Counsel requesting that the company reconsider its position and begin negotiations immediately for a wage increase effective July 1, 2024. Included in this email, our Union, United Federation LEOS-PBA, presented O'Conner with 130 signatures, which has now grown, to reconsider his position. At this time, I am happy to report that based on our majority support of the Local 52 PSO members in San Diego, the company has agreed to negotiate a wage increase for July 1, 2024.
Yesterday, our Union spoke with O'Conner, whereby we stated the Union is seeking a 12.5% raise effective July 1, 2024. The company responded by offering a $2.00 raise, citing that the PSOs in San Diego had just received a $2.77 raise back on January 1, 2024, six months earlier and it is the company's belief that the government would frown upon paying any more than what the company is offering at the moment.
This $2.00 wage increase offer was immediately rejected by our Union as we made our arguments on why the Local PSO's in San Diego deserve more money and rest assured, we will continue to negotiate and fight to get the best wage increase possible on behalf of our Local 52 PSO members in San Diego!
We expect to have further conversations with O'Conner next week. We shall keep you updated as soon as we have any further news.
I want to wish everyone a happy Father’s Day.
In Solidarity,
Charles "Chip Strebeck United Federation LEOS-PBA International President
United Federation LEOS-PBA now represents more Paragon Systems Inc Protective Service Officers PSO's than any other security union. Representing Paragon PSO's in Los Angeles California, Riverside, San Bernardino counties, San Diego & Imperial counties, California, Kentucky, New York City, Upstate New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, & Washington DC Capitol Region just to mention a few.
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, Correctional Officers, Special Police Officers, Security Police Officers, Nuclear Security Officers, K9 Handlers, Event Security, 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