"We all do better when we work together as one voice," says Securitas security officer at and SEIU Local 26 member Donna Alexander. "I found being on the bargaining committee for our last contract to be an exhilarating experience because we were so much more effective working together."

Growing up in a household where unions were scorned, Donna didn't always think that way about organizing.

After she took a job as a security officer to gain health insurance, she began to see that working together helped everyone do better.

That changed her mind about unions and how they could make life better for all officers at her worksite at Ameriprise Financial in downtown Minneapolis.

"I saw the power of our union especially during negotiations," Donna says. "We were equal with the bosses."

A grandmother and occasional stand-up comic, Donna helped negotiate "regular raises, decreased premiums for my health insurance, which in turn has saved me $80 a month. I get definite vacation days and holiday pay; I get more respect." She's been actively lending at hand to help suburban officers organize a union and bargain for the sorts of wages and benefits she enjoys.

"Suburban officers: belonging to a union will benefit you immensely, on more levels than you can think off now. Not just your status, not just your pay and your job, but it will benefit your well being."