5 Dec 2012

Union campaigns for security guard safety

12:31 pm on 5 December 2012

About a dozen workers held a protest outside a major security firm's headquarters in Auckland about what they call dangerous and poor working conditions in the security industry.

The picket at First Security is the start of a campaign by the Unite Union calling for the Government to step in and regulate the industry.

Unite general secretary Matt McCarten says new workers First Security and other companies are often untrained, not supported by their employer and are on the minimum wage as companies compete for contracts.

The union says existing regulations are not strong enough and the Government needs to introduce mandatory training.

A former guard at First Security in Auckland, Agnes Devon, says she was made redundant two weeks ago for speaking out about what she called unsafe and unfair conditions.

The company has not been available for comment. Associate Minister of Justice Chester Burrows says he did not know about the union's concerns and will happily talk to Unite.