Baltimore security guards strike for respect, healthcare, and a union

This episode of *Working People* centers on a pivotal strike by non-union security officers in Baltimore, employed by Abacus Corporation, who are demanding respect, healthcare, fair wages, and the right to unionize. The workers, many of whom have served for decades, describe dangerous working conditions, lack of medical coverage, no follow-up after traumatic incidents, and inadequate supplies—all while receiving over $45 million in taxpayer-funded contracts since 2017 without competitive bidding. Laura Dixon, a 59-year-old security officer with 25 years of service at the Ashburton water filtration plant, shares her personal struggle with untreated knee injuries and unaffordable healthcare, emphasizing that she’d rather have health benefits than a 20% pay raise without job security. Jaime Contreras of SEIU Local 32BJ condemns Abacus for alleged retaliation against union activity, discrimination, and failure to meet basic labor standards. The episode dismantles stereotypes about security guards, highlighting their essential, often invisible labor during crises like the pandemic. It draws a powerful parallel to Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination on April 4, 1968, while he stood with sanitation workers, underscoring the ongoing fight for dignity and collective bargaining rights. The strike on April 9, 2026, is framed not as a disruption but as a necessary act of resistance against systemic exploitation. The episode delivers a clear call to action: support the workers through solidarity, attend the rally, and recognize that unionization is not a threat but a lifeline for working-class dignity. It challenges listeners to confront their biases toward service workers and see them as fellow humans deserving of respect and basic rights. The hosts emphasize that the real issue isn’t the job itself, but the lack of power workers have when unrepresented. With a powerful closing rendition of "Solidarity Forever," the episode affirms that the fight for justice continues—not just for Baltimore’s security guards, but for all workers striving to live with dignity in a system that too often treats them as expendable.