Security guards at OpenAI and Anthropic win right to strike

Security guards working at major Silicon Valley technology firms, including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Meta, and Salesforce, have won the right to strike. The SEIU-United Service Workers West (SEIU-USWW) union announced that members successfully voted to authorize a strike following a deadlock in contract negotiations.

The guards are employed by third-party security contractors such as Allied Universal and Securitas rather than the tech companies themselves. The union is seeking significant wage increases, aiming to raise the minimum hourly rate from $22 to $30, alongside improved benefits. Tensions rose after Allied Universal reportedly offered only a 25-cent per hour increase through 2027, a proposal union leader David Huerta described as “shameful” and “disrespectful to workers.”

The potential labor action comes at a time when AI companies are significantly increasing security spending due to rising threats against employees and executives. Anthropic recently requested some staff to work from home in anticipation of possible industrial action. While the strike authorization gives the union the power to walk off the job, a formal strike date has not yet been set, pending further negotiations.