‘Some security officers are tempted to rob’

The Estate Police Association (EPA) has been burdened with cases before the Industrial Court, from security officers claiming they were either wrongfully treated or dismissed by various security companies across TT. Security officers are also demanding that Government raise their salary range from the basic minimum wage of $7 to $8 per hour. They argue that it is impossible for people to raise families or even survive on such wages. “How do these companies expect security officers not to be tempted to steal from them if they are paying them less than minimum wage?” a union official asked.

Assistant Secretary General of the Transport and Industrial Workers Union (TIWU), Roland Sutherland, revealed that a number of security officers have expressed feelings that they are tempted to steal from their employers because of their poor salaries. The TIWU has been lobbying on behalf of scores of workers employed with the National Maintenance Training and Security Ltd (MTS). This after MTS lost 15 contracts for work at government primary schools, resulting in the loss of over 60 jobs. On March 14, Prime Minister Patrick Manning announced plans to change the operations of MTS to one  similar to CEPEP, since under CEPEP, workers were “running their own affairs.” During a press conference last week, TIWU representative, Darren Sammuel disagreed with Manning, pointing out that CEPEP was not about sustainable employment, but about contract work. Sutherland agreed that work in the security industry was hardly about sustainability, pointing out that in some of the robberies that took place at businesses, a few security officers were suspected of being part of the activity.

Some security officers with criminal records
He said they knew for a fact, that a number of security officers had “criminal records” and most security companies did not do background checks, thus bringing in a number of “corrupt” elements into the industry. EPA president, Andrew Dardain, confirmed this statement, saying that the Association was currently dealing with a security officer, who told them that he had witnessed a few other security officers working in the prison who had prison records. “They are abusing the minimum wage law and taking anyone from off the streets,” said an angry Sutherland. He felt that standards in the industry should be raised for young people coming in, to see the job as “not just any job” but a permanent career. “It is unfortunate that there is not enough training and incentives for the younger ones,” he lamented.

Illegal deductions Disgruntled workers from at least two different security companies visited Newsday’s office some time ago and showed payslips in which deductions, other than statutory deductions, were taken from their bi-weekly salaries. Almost half of one person’s salary was deducted and the payslip showed that even though the gross salary was over $600, approximately $300 plus had been deducted under the heading “miscellaneous.” One female employee explained that the security company with which she was employed, deducted money for uniforms and other miscellaneous items such as stationery.

“When we asked the human resources department what the deductions were for, they said for the company’s stationery,” she said. Another security officer said that when they work double and triple shifts, they are not paid for all the hours they put in. Dardain, has strongly condemned security companies which make deductions from the salaries of security officers other than legal statutory deductions such as PAYE, pointing out that they are breaking the law. A security officer from another company, to whom Newsday spoke, said as much as $500 had been deducted from her salary. “They take out deductions for uniforms and any equipment which is damaged,” she said. The workers, mostly female, are also afraid of performing their jobs because when they work their shifts, they are left alone in isolated places, only with a baton should they have to defend themselves against criminal elements. One or two from the group also spoke about sexual harassment from the bosses and victimisation if they reported the incident or complained. “They abuse us verbally, too and if we complain, they lay false charges against us as part of the victimisation,” said one of the security officers.

Government regulation needed now
Dardain is calling for Government’s intervention to regulate the security industry since a number of “fly by night” companies were opening up and taking advantage of workers. In order to upgrade the industry, the EPA has been trying to establish an academy for the training of security officers.  “When the academy is established, there will be certain standards set and raised for the employment of security officers within the industry,” he said. Dardain said as part of this plan, Government needs to put legislation in place for private security agencies since many are “springing up” every day and there were no checks and balances to screen workers entering the industry. Dardain lamented that too many of these “fly by night” security companies were taking advantage of workers, not paying them for overtime and public holidays.

“What happens, therefore, is that the security gets paid for the officer’s service and the officer gets nothing. But the court frowns on this and it is against the law,” he said. He is aware of  the deductions from their salaries, pointing out that many of them are unwarranted, such as “ridiculous fines” as part of disciplinary charges. Dardain said these actions are against the TRUCK Act, which debars any employer from making unwarranted deductions because that amounts to “tampering” with people’s salaries. He appealed to all security officers, that if any of them experience this problem, to go to the EPA, which would deal with the situation. The EPA said it is also trying to establish a set standard, in which only statutory deductions such as PAYE and NIS are deducted.

The Association said this is being done with the aim of enhancing the sector, lamenting that many people were leaving the security industry for better wages, seeing they could get $10-$12 an hour in addition to perks at other industries. The EPA has appealed to security officers who might to be tempted to engage in robbery, to desist from such actions, adding that if they need help, the Association is willing to help them with their problems. He also called on the Commissioner of Police to establish some form of inspectorate that could go to all of the security companies and have them registered under the Ministry of National Security.