An initial count separated the two sides by a single vote, with four ballots challenged. Federal labor regulators certified Local One Security Officers Union on September 24.
Based on NLRB records
NEW YORK — Security officers employed by Allied Universal at Manhattan West, the prominent office and mixed-use development on Manhattan’s Far West Side, have secured union representation following a closely contested election overseen by the National Labor Relations Board.
The first ballot tally was exceptionally narrow: 33 votes for Local One Security Officers Union and 32 against, with four challenged ballots. The NLRB initially classified those challenges as potentially decisive. But the agency’s case record now shows that Local One was certified as the bargaining representative on September 24, 2026 and that the representation case is closed.
The certification resolves who represents the covered workers. It does not mean a labor contract has already been negotiated—or that wages and benefits have changed.
A one-vote gap in the initial tally
According to NLRB case 02-RC-392612, the representation petition was filed on August 10. The agency issued its initial tally on September 9, recording 33 votes in favor of representation and 32 against. Four ballots were challenged, and the NLRB marked the challenges as determinative at that stage.
The docket subsequently lists employer election objections filed September 17, a certification of representative dated September 24, and additional regional director and tally entries dated September 25. The publicly displayed case summary does not establish a final, challenge-adjusted vote count. The frequently cited 33–32 result is the initial tally, not a verified final margin.
The NLRB lists 216 eligible voters in the case. That figure describes the pool of employees recorded as eligible to vote, not the number who voted for the union.
Which security positions are covered?
The bargaining unit spans several Manhattan West facilities developed by Brookfield Properties, including locations identified in the NLRB filing as One Manhattan West, Two Manhattan West, Four Manhattan West and associated shared-service and development operations.
It covers full-time and regular part-time employees in a variety of security roles: armed Tactical Response Officers, security officers, Fire Life Safety Director officers, F-01 freight operators and Security/BES employees. Supervisors and certain other employee categories are excluded under the unit description.
That range of positions is noteworthy. It is not a single small lobby post voting on representation; the unit includes several functions associated with the security and life-safety operations of a major commercial development.
Brookfield describes Manhattan West as an eight-acre, six-building destination combining offices, residences, shops and other uses. The property’s size and complexity help explain why its security workforce includes specialized posts alongside conventional guarding duties.
What certification changes—and what it doesn’t
With Local One certified, Allied Universal must recognize the union as the bargaining representative of employees in the covered unit. Under federal labor law, the parties are generally required to bargain in good faith over mandatory subjects such as wages, hours and other terms and conditions of employment. The law does not guarantee that the parties will reach a particular agreement or that workers will immediately receive raises.
For officers at Manhattan West, the next consequential milestone is therefore a first collective bargaining agreement. Matters that can become important in contract negotiations include pay progression, health benefits, scheduling, overtime, disciplinary procedures and protections when security contracts change hands. The NLRB representation record does not identify agreed terms on those subjects, and those examples should not be mistaken for confirmed demands from either side.
The initial 33–32 split also shows that the counted votes were closely divided at the time of the first tally. It does not, by itself, establish why individual employees voted for or against union representation. Those reasons cannot be inferred from a federal election summary.
Why security officers beyond Manhattan West should pay attention
Private security has a structural complication that employees in many other industries do not encounter as often: the guard can remain at the same building while the employer changes because the client awards the contract to another company. Questions about seniority, pay continuity and disciplinary rights can become especially important during those transitions.
A collective bargaining agreement may address some of those concerns, although the protections depend on the actual negotiated language. Certification is the beginning of that process, not its conclusion.
The Manhattan West election offers a concrete example of a workforce at a major New York commercial property choosing collective representation through a federal election. The attention-grabbing number is 33–32. The longer-term story is what Local One and Allied Universal negotiate next—and whether the eventual agreement changes conditions for the officers doing the work.
Sources & reporting notes
Source notes: This article is based on publicly available federal records and property information, not interviews with workers or company representatives. The NLRB case record confirms certification; it does not independently establish a ratified first contract.