The General Workers’ Union has written to the director general of the Malta Employers’ Association asking it to investigate employment conditions in the security sector.

“Competition between local operators has become abusive in so far as conditions of ­employment are concerned, as a number of companies are adopting illicit, if not illegal, practices,” the GWU claimed yesterday.

The union had already presented proposals to the Employment Relations Board, which discusses legislation changes under employment law, it pointed out yesterday.

The union appealed to the government to push through these amendments to protect employees from exploitation, saying it had become apparent that many security companies were willing to consider adopting illicit practices.

It proposed to the MEA that a sector-wide security agreement be reached and called on the government to control the tenders for security personnel.

“It is unreasonable for the government to continue outsourcing without control and monitoring,” the GWU said. While outsourcing was not the ideal system of work for the section, when it was resorted to, the government had a social responsibility towards third-party employees, it said.