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California security guards strike over wages at AI companies

California security guards strike over wages at AI companies

Force in Play San Francisco, CA local

Strike hits three downtown San Francisco towers; most of the 14,000-member union stayed on the job

September 18th, 2026: Guards walk off jobs

Overview

Updated Oct 15

On Sept. 18, security guards at three downtown San Francisco towers walked off the job, leaving 555 California St., 101 California St. and Salesforce Tower without their usual security. They guard offices of OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Meta and Salesforce, and want a path to $30 an hour.

Contractors raised their offer from 25 cents over four years to 65 cents over two. Guards earn a median $20.09 an hour. Most of the 14,000-member union stayed on the job; only a fraction walked off.

Why it matters

The guards who protect the offices of OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Meta and Salesforce earn a median $20.09 an hour, and their contractors offered 65 cents more over two years - a pay gap at the doors of some of the world's most valuable companies.

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Key Indicators

14,000
Security officers covered by the master contract
Guards at tech and other buildings across California. Only a fraction walked off Sept. 18, per the San Francisco Standard.
3,700
Union members in San Francisco
Of the 14,000 statewide; most stayed on the job during the walkout.
3
Buildings hit by the walkout
555 California St., 101 California St. and Salesforce Tower, per the San Francisco Standard.
$20.09
Median hourly wage for guards
Per a UC Berkeley study cited by the union.
65¢
Proposed raise over two years
Up from 25 cents over four years in the original offer.
$30
Union target hourly wage
SEIU-USWW's stated path for all officers.

Voices

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People Involved

SB
Stephen Boardman
Spokesperson, SEIU-USWW
Negotiating on behalf of 14,000 officers
JL
Jerry Longoria
Security guard, Allied Universal
On strike
CY
Christopher Yates
Security officer, Allied Universal
On strike
 Sam Altman
Sam Altman
Chief executive, OpenAI
Company faces potentially unguarded offices
SG
Sanjay Garla
First vice president, SEIU-USWW
Negotiating with security contractors
 David Huerta
David Huerta
President, SEIU-USWW
Leading the contract fight
 Keven Adams
Keven Adams
Security guard and union officer, SEIU-USWW
On strike

Organizations Involved

Service Employees International Union-United Service Workers West
Service Employees International Union-United Service Workers West
Labor union
Leading a walkout; no settlement reported

Represents about 14,000 security officers across California, including 3,700 in San Francisco, many guarding tech offices.
Allied Universal
Allied Universal
Private security contractor
Primary employer in dispute

One of the world's largest private security firms and a main contractor for Bay Area tech offices.
OpenAI
OpenAI
AI foundation-model lab
Client of struck security firms

The AI lab's San Francisco headquarters is protected by security officers now on strike.

Timeline

August 2026 September 2026

4 events Latest: September 18th, 2026 · 2 months ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Guards walk off jobs

    Latest Strike

    Security guards left posts at three downtown San Francisco buildings, including Salesforce Tower and 555 California St. The San Francisco Standard reported only a fraction of the union's 14,000 members walked off; NBC Bay Area described a statewide strike.

  2. 72-hour strike notice filed

    Labor action

    SEIU-USWW files strike notice; officers march to Salesforce Tower during the Dreamforce conference.

  3. Union authorizes strike

    Labor action

    SEIU-USWW officers across San Francisco and Silicon Valley vote to authorize an unfair labor practice strike.

  4. Anthropic prepares for remote work

    Company decision

    Anthropic tells San Francisco staff to work remotely for two days after Allied Universal warns of a possible security strike.

Scenarios

1

Guards win contract raises above 65 cents

Likely Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: SEIU-USWW leadership; labor observers cited by Business Insider

The strike holds through the weekend, and tech companies press Allied Universal and other contractors to settle because unguarded offices are untenable. A new master contract lands with hourly raises of $2 to $3, giving guards a path toward the $30 target.

2

Strike drags into November, offices stay remote

Possible Resolves by Nov 15, 2026

Discussed by: Business Insider; KRON reports

The walkout stretches past a week. Tech companies keep offices closed or on remote orders. Bargaining stalls over the raise figure, and the strike becomes a test of how long low-paid guards can hold a picket line against multi-billion-dollar contractors.

3

Guards accept the original 65-cent offer

Deadline passed (Oct 31, 2026)

Discussed by: Some rank-and-file members quoted in local coverage

Pressure mounts as savings run out and contractors hold firm. The union accepts the original offer plus minor adjustments, securing small gains but not the $30 path. Guards return to work by late October.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

September-November 2023

UAW Big Three strikes (2023)

In September 2023, 146,000 United Auto Workers members struck Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis simultaneously, the first time the union hit all three at once. The strike lasted 46 days and shut plants across the Midwest.

Then

Workers won raises of about 25% over four years, plus cost-of-living adjustments and improved retiree benefits.

Now

The settlement reset wage expectations across American manufacturing and showed coordinated strikes can extract major concessions from profitable employers.

Why this matters now

Like the UAW workers, security guards are pressing high-profit, high-visibility employers for raises far above the initial offer, betting their leverage outweighs company resistance.

November 2012 onward

Fight for $15 movement (2012-present)

Fast-food workers in New York began one-day strikes demanding $15 an hour, a wage then double the federal minimum. The action spread to 150 cities within a year.

Then

The movement pushed minimum wage increases across states and cities, and raised pay floors at major chains.

Now

It demonstrated that low-wage service workers could use public strikes to force wage gains even without traditional union density.

Why this matters now

Security guards are using the same playbook: public actions and walkouts to pressure wealthy employers over stagnant wages in a high-cost city.

October 2024

ILA port strike (2024)

On October 1, 2024, 45,000 International Longshoremen's Association members struck East and Gulf Coast ports, the first ILA walkout in nearly 50 years. The strike halted about $5 billion in daily trade and idled major shipping hubs.

Then

After three days, the union won a 62% wage increase over six years and guarantees on automation.

Now

The short, decisive strike showed employers dependent on continuous operations will pay heavily to resume work quickly.

Why this matters now

Tech offices cannot operate safely without guards, giving SEIU-USWW leverage similar to dockworkers shutting ports: immediate, visible disruption that pressures employers to settle.

Sources

(6)
The San Francisco Standard KQED Business Insider New York Post San Francisco Chronicle Fast Company