Abacus security officers protest alongside 32BJ SEIU organizers. Photo courtesy of 32BJ.
Correction: The initial publication of this story erroneously listed Andrew McNeal’s employer as “an Abacus company”, when in fact, McNeal’s employer is a subcontractor engaged by Abacus. The story has been edited to reflect this change.
Baltimore security officers at Abacus Security, a major Baltimore staffing company that has received over $45 million in contract revenue from the city, say they can’t afford basic healthcare.
In early 2025, Abacus’ security officers began organizing with help from 32BJ SEIU, the largest property services union in the US. Currently, the City of Baltimore contracts with Abacus to provide unarmed security services for more than 150 buildings. Back in July, the officers’ organizing efforts resulted in a raise, but one of their biggest problems remains unaddressed: healthcare.
“I’m diabetic, and I don’t have any insurance at all,” said Andrew McNeal, an officer employed by a subcontractor engaged by Abacus. “I’ve been without insurance for over a year, and I haven’t taken any medicine in over a year. I don’t know how I’m even breathing.”
Without access to medication, McNeal is at risk for severe long-term health impacts including blindness, permanent limb loss, and even fatal complications.
“It’s scary because I work on my post alone. Anything could happen.”
He isn’t the only one associated with Abacus unable to afford basic healthcare. Laverna Stackhouse, a longtime security officer at Abacus, told The Baltimore Sun she was rationing her blood pressure medication, taking her pills every other day instead of daily. Stackhouse, like McNeal and others, described forgoing doctor’s appointments and hospital visits because of the high costs of their companies’ benefits package.
But the officers aren’t only concerned about their personal health; they’re concerned about the city at-large. Abacus officers guard critical Baltimore facilities and routinely prevent trespassing and other more serious security breaches. Their work is physically demanding, dangerous, and crucial to city functioning, so much so that according to Guillermo Zamora, a 32BJ organizer, when the officers authorized a strike over the summer, Mayor Scott intervened and promised to work with them.
Laura Dixon, a security officer who’s worked at Abacus for over twenty years, recounted preventing two people impersonating BGE employees from gaining access to the City’s water supply. In a separate incident, Dixon was held at gunpoint while on the job. Dixon said when she reported the incident that there was no meaningful follow-up from Abacus — no one checking in on her wellbeing or offering to provide counseling.
McNeal noted his unmedicated diabetes could put him at risk for seizures on the job. “It’s scary because I work on my post alone. … Anything could happen,” said McNeal. If he had a seizure at his post, he’d be unable to protect himself and the millions of dollars of city equipment he guards.
Healthcare experiences like McNeal’s and Dixon’s raise serious doubts about the ethics and ability of Baltimore’s biggest security contractors to provide quality security for the city.
The Backbone reached out to Abacus for comment and did not receive a response. Abacus has given previous statements noting their healthcare offerings comply with the ACA’s standards for affordability and said they “have always advocated for and highly prioritized employee welfare.”
Some of the workers, though, don’t agree.
“How come we don’t have health insurance?” asked Dixon. “I bet you they have health insurance, but we don’t. And it’s not fair. It’s not fair at all.”
Developing Coverage: This section highlights previous stories where there are still critical questions that remain unanswered.
Do you have a story that needs telling? To send a tip, reply directly to the newsletter, email [email protected], or DM me on Bluesky. You can also reach out for my Signal username, to talk with end-to-end encryption.
I promise to treat your stories with the rigorous care and attention to detail they deserve.
Did you enjoy this story? Subscribe for free to get more stories like this, right in your inbox, or share this one with a friend. The Backbone is a one-person project, so the little things make a world of difference.
P.S. Happy New Year, and thank you all for giving independent news a chance. May 2026 be better.
Sincerely,
Madisyn