Security Guards and Bouncers Have Your Say
This website is designed for Security Guards and Bouncers in the Private Security Industry wanting to voice their views regarding industrial relations, employment law, employee rights, workplace harassment and security guard training and obtaining a security licence.
Click on subject to go to the paragraph [ Employee Collective Agreements] [Private Security Workplace Policies] [Sub Contracting Issues and Sham Contracting] [Vicarious Liability] [Security Licence and Security Guard Training] [Security Issues in Your State] [Security News]
Award Modernisation
On the 1 January 2010, Fair Work Australia legislation takes effect to introduce Award Modernisation. This means for security guards who are working for an incorporated company (Pty Ltd, Limited, or Trust) working conditions will be governed by this new award the Security Services Industry Award 2010. In your interests, please click here to open page New Award 2010 and read what is said. For most of us, our workplace pay and conditions will change on this date.
Security Guard Forum
To
have your say, contribute to the Security
Guard Forum.
You can post on any subject in the Private Security Industry, monitor what
happens on the Forum through the RSS system, and message other
contributors. A large
number of registered members will demonstrate that this web page is an avenue of
workplace communication. Full details on the
Security Guard Forum
page.
A security company when employing you, asks many personal questions to assess if you will make a good employee. You do not have this opportunity to ask them the same questions. The Where You Stand page uncovers the company structure and allows you to further investigate security companies. Through the Security Guard Forum, information on employers or past employers will enable a record to be gathered on each security company. You will have the ability to assess whether you wish to work for this security company. Through the Forum, others can give advice, information can be gathered and workplaces can be organized. The benefits of this website will only work if the many people employed in the Private Security Industry are aware that it exists. Click the 'Share' button and inform others.
Enterprise
Agreements
There have been many
Old Employee Collective Agreements, Australian Workplace
Agreements and lately Enterprise Agreements and that strip away employee rights. The
'Collective Bargaining Agreement'
page it tells you what should have happened when bargaining
negotiation happens for a
Employee Collective Agreement. If this did not happen in your
workplace, then you have a right to complain to the Fair
Work Ombudsman. A part of this website is to reveal
these agreements and compare them to the award. This
gives security guards some information as to the collective bargaining agreements that exist with
different security companies. Each State has a page devoted to analysing
these employee collective agreements. This information along with
the Security Guard Forum is a valuable tool when considering switching security
companies.
Private Security Industry Workplace
Policies
Most security guards in the private security industry are employed on a 'Casual' basis. This has come about because most of the security work is required on the weekend. Most awards have only the weekend penalty rates for casual security guards. Because there is no casual loading on the weekend, casual security guards are the most lucrative manpower to use. A Permanent or Part Time security officer would accrue a fixed proportion of holiday and sick leave for working the weekend. Casual security officers do not. Most casual security officers consider that the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union (LHMU) that covers their industry has no power to help them in this position. Therefore, there is little union membership by casual security officers.
This works well for
some security business. They have a workforce which
cannot organize when a proposal for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement takes place.
This can lead to deceptive practices by these security companies to enable the
Employee Collective Agreement to be registered by the Fair Work Australia. This usually
involves workplace harassment and workplace conflict. This is an
offence under the employment law. Once
registered, the Collective Bargaining Agreement becomes law and the method for disputing
the agreement becomes difficult and drawn out. Go to the Security
Guard Forum
and post a message about how you feel about things in your
workplace. Others in time will contribute and you will be able to
stay in contact and organise.
Sub-Contracting
Issues
Many security job advertisements ask that the applicant have an Australian Business Number (ABN). Working under an independent contractor agreement as a security officer sub-contractor can open you up to many pitfalls. You give up many of your employee rights you had being an employee. Recognizing some of these may help you make a clued-up decision as to whether you want to enter into this deal. The 'Sham Contracting' page deals with the minefield of security officer sub-contracting. If you know of security companies that practice sham contracting then expose them on the Security Guard Forum.
Vicarious Liability
'Vicarious' means acting or done for another and 'Liability' means 'under legal obligation'. Vicarious Liability occurs when an employer is responsible for the actions of their employee. The issue of vicarious liability is the reason why it is so important for security officers to know and follow the instructions of their employers. This page 'Vicarious Liability' explains what to be aware of and how to protect yourself against public liability issues that may arise.
Security Licence and Security Guard Training
Obtaining a security licence has become a complicated and expensive exercise. More police checks on security licence applicants increases the cost of renewing a security licence each year. Security guard training has become a sham with the result security workers are under trained and with little knowledge of the law. Knowledge of the law is the security worker's 'stock in trade'. Security guard training schools are being told by the State authorities to deliver full training to students. This is to stop the rort that some of the training schools are carrying out by awarding training certificates with only a few days training at a high cost to the student. Your views about the security guard training school that trained you and the quality of training you received is important to others who are considering employment in the security industry. Make a post on the Security Guard Forum about your experiences.
Security Issues in Your State
There are pages devoted to the individual Australian states that cover workplace relations and workplace policies particular to that state. Here you can check the Employee Collective Agreements and workplace policies that apply to that state. There is also a Security Job Board with up to date security jobs. States covered are Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania
There is a pay calculator for some states with various wage rates. You can check your pay slip against what is the minimum pay you should have received. This is a Microsoft Excel file generated on Excel 2000 version and will load on all Excel versions up to Excel 2007.
Security News
The Security News page has links to the Google news pages under different search terms which cover the private security industry. News articles detail where security guards or bouncers are making the news. It reminds us of the value of good security guard training and risk assessment to avoid making news headlines. If you have similar experiences to those making the news and have handled it differently then post to the Forum.
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