Guards Demand Fair Pay, Training

0:00It's April 17th. California News Today starts now, AI-powered and ready. I'm Cory with the story. Security guards from Northern California hit the streets of downtown San Francisco on Thursday, linking arms with union leaders and officials to. To man better pay, solid labor standards, and real training upgrades. These workers, backed by the service employees' international union, are battling for a fresh contract that locks an employer-covered health care, retirement plans, and safer conditions on the job. They're also pushing state legislation to overhaul pay scales and boost training requirements for private guards. Right now, California only mandates 32 hours of training in the first six months after licensing, plus eight hours a year on use of force. Mostly done online without much hands on practice. Guards are out there facing real dangers, like getting slashed, needing 23 stitches, or getting knocked down during shifts, yet they step up. As first responders with way less prep than cops, San Francisco police go through a 34-week

1:04academy and 40 hours every two years, while guards handle complex daily crises on the cheap. Recent tragedies underscore the stakes, like a guard fatally shooting a 24-year-old over $14 in shoplifting last year, sparking. Some use of force mandates, and another killing in the tenderloin this year. These mostly black and brown workers earn a mean of $21.61 an hour half, while police make at $53.74, while guarding billion-dollar spots and eating commute costs. With over 330,000 guards outnumbering 90,000 sworn officers statewide, this push for respect and resources feels, urgent, ensuring the front line gets backed properly as negotiations heat up.