| • Science | • People | • Locations | • Timeline |
Wackenhut is a leading provider of security guard services in North America. A number of Fortune 500 companies are among its clients. One subsidiary is Wackenhut Services Incorporated (WSI), which is a primary contractor to US government agencies including NASA and the US Army. Wackenhut also provides contract security and emergency response services to local governments, particularly in public transport systems. Wackenhut also specializes in providing security for employers experiencing difficulties with labor unions, including strike actionStrike action (or simply strike is a deliberate refusal to work on the part of multiple employees. This is a tactic often employed by labor unions during collective bargaining with an employer. A strike may consist of workers refusing to attend work or pis. Not surprisingly, Wackenhut has a poor reputation with labor unions as a result.
Wackenhut is heavily involved in protecting nuclear reactorLeibstadt, Switzerland. The nuclear reactor is inside the dome-shaped containment building. A nuclear reactor is a device in which nuclear fission chain reactions are initiated, controlled, and sustained at a steady rate (as opposed to a nuclear explosions and other high-security government installations, including those of the Department of Energy.
During the 1980s Wackenhut was a leader in airport securityAirport security refers to the techniques and methods used in protecting airports from crime and terrorism. Most large airports have their own police force backed up by security guards. In some countries and during wars, paramilitary forces or even soldie but refused to compromise the company's high standards by cutting wages under pressure from airports and airlineAn airline is an organization providing aviation services to passengers and/or cargo. It owns or leases airliners with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for reasons of mutual benefit. Airline services. As a result, Wackenhut only protected four airports in the United States on September 11th. Airports in the United States are now protected by the Transportation Security AdministrationThe Transportation Security Administration TSA was created as part of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act passed by the U. Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush on November 19, 2001. The TSA was originally organized in the U. of the Department of Homeland Security.
In 2004 Wackenhut's nuclear plant guard services came under intense public and media scrutiny, mostly due to concerns over terrorism but also under pressure from labor unions such as the SEIU, which operates a Web site devoted to attacking Wackenhut.
Wackenhut is no longer involved in the private prison industry. Wackenhut was involved in the operation of private prisons during the 1980s, but abandoned the market due to low returns on investment, excessive government regulation, and negative publicity affecting its other more profitable operations.
See private prisons.