Security companies ‘exploiting’ the guards

Guards working with security firms are vulnerable to exploitation due to loopholes in the employment law, according to the General Workers’ Union.

Speaking at a press conference held at the GWU headquarters yesterday, the secretary of the union’s Professionals, Finances and Services Division, Cory Greenland, said that many security guards called their overtime work “extra hours” and were paid a flat rate for the extra time they spent at work.

This was made possible by having them employed with two separate companies to do the same job. On paper they were working a set number hours for one company and the remaining “extra” hours for another. By using this loophole, their employers managed to avoid paying overtime benefits, Mr Greenland said.

“Legislation needs to be more detailed to regulate better and avoid these loopholes.”

He pointed out that the problem was not with companies, such as banks, that employed their own security guards but with security firms that bid for contracts.

According to the GWU spokesman, tendering and outsourcing needs to be better regulated to overcome problems such as these.

Mr Greenland spoke about how some security workers were also entering into self-employed contracts, which stripped them of benefits like leave and sick leave.

He further explained how many workers had a mandatory refresher course payment deducted from their minimum wage salary every year, and called for all-round responsibility to avoid these injustices from taking place.

The GWU has passed on recommendations to the Justice Ministry to strengthen the criteria for opening a security service company. It has also called for more protection for security workers carrying cash, through, for example, vans with bullet proof glass.

Proposals sent to Parliamentary Secretary Chris Said recommend a review of the Wage Regulation Order with regard to security employment, so that wages would be increased gradually over a number of years.

The union would also like to see more inspections being carried out by the labour authorities.

“This reality is probably not only true for security workers,” said Charles Galea, president of the Professionals, Finances and Services Division. The cleaning services sector was probably worse, because often employees were let go when they tried to join a union, he said.