Harvard, Securitas Settle with Security Guard in Retaliation Case

Harvard and Securitas settled a National Labor Relations Board case with former security guard Walter J. Terzano, who alleged that the University and Securitas retaliated against him for organizing a protest.

In a NLRB notice to employees, Securitas wrote that it offered to reinstate Terzano to his former position at the Agassiz House, will issue him a letter of apology, and will compensate him for any losses incurred due to the suspension, including legal fees.

During Securitas’ 2022 contract negotiations with Service Employees International Union 32BJ — the guards’ union to which Terzano belonged — Terzano created picket signs and encouraged other guards to protest outside then-University President Lawrence S. Bacow’s house.

According to Terzano’s April 2022 complaint to the NLRB, Terzano was suspended for his conduct and Harvard “directed” he be removed from campus in February 2022. One month later, Terzano was involuntarily transferred from his Harvard Square post to a post off-campus, according to the complaint.

The hearing for Terzano’s case was originally scheduled for Jan. 9 but was postponed before the settlement.

Since Harvard contracts its guards through Securitas — an external company — it never directly employed Terzano. However, if the case had progressed, a ruling in Terzano’s favor would have had the potential to change this practice, making Harvard a joint employer.

Terzano declined to comment on the settlement.

In the NLRB notice to employees — signed by a Securitas representative — Securitas wrote that Terzano declined the offer of reinstatement.

The notice also outlined rights granted to workers under the National Labor Relations Act. Securitas wrote in the notice that it will not interfere with these rights or retaliate against employees for engaging in protected bargaining activities, including encouraging coworkers to demand better terms and conditions.

Securitas declined to comment on the settlement, citing policy against commenting on legal matters.

In a second notice to employees, Harvard also promised not to interfere with workers’ rights protected under the NLRA and wrote that it would not retaliate against employees for bargaining activities.

Harvard spokesperson Jason A. Newton declined to comment on the settlement.

—Staff writer Aran Sonnad-Joshi can be reached at aran.sonnad-joshi@thecrimson.com. Follow him on X @asonnadjoshi.

—Staff writer Sheerea X. Yu can be reached at sheerea.yu@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @_shuhree_.