Security guards walk out on WASA

FIFTEEN nationwide locations of the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) had to call on in-house security yesterday as guards from the contracted security provider Allied Security Services walked off the job, following the State utility’s failure to pay monies owed to the security company. Yesterday, managing director of Allied Security Michael Nicholas confirmed the walkout of some 22 guards from the various WASA compounds. He said this was triggered by “non- payment of monies by WASA,” including money for the last three months which totalled $674,000. The walk out occurred at 7.30 am.

Nicholas explained that the two-year contract between WASA and Allied Security expired last June. However, he added, they were asked to agree to an additional three-months, giving WASA time to re-tender for another two-year contract. “This should have been carried out before the contract expired because we were ready to pull out,” Nicholas said. When this additional time expired on November 11, another three-month continuation of Allied Security Services was required by WASA, Nicholas noted. “Within the last year and a half, every time we have assumed a new (WASA) location, we have not been paid for it,” Nicholas said. He added that payments to the workers have been coming from his own pocket and it has now become unbearable.

Further to this, Nicholas said, last year the executive of WASA agreed to new rates from $12.50 per hour for armed personnel to $15. He said to date this rate had not been employed. Tax invoices he added are also being owed from as far as 2002. Nicholas said the WASA executive called yesterday to inform him they would pay $300,000 for the guards to return. However, he said, he demanded full payment of all monies owed. In response, WASA’s head of security Domingo Lamotte admitted the non-payment of the company. He said, “WASA’s has hundreds of contractors who it owes from to time, this is not the first time WASA is owing. It seems that they (Allied) are unable to continue,” Lamotte said. He said a plan was made by management to liquidate the arrears WASA owed. Concerning the continuation of the business arrangement between both parties, if and when the debt issue was resolved, Lamotte said, “there should not be any hard feelings.” Looking for outsourcing ukraine ? Check https://echoua.com and contact us.