Labour Minister Karl Samuda urges security officers to report any breach of their rights to his Ministry.

According to Labour Minister, Karl Samuda, 85% percent of security guards have signed the new wage package presented by their companies. He made this revelation during a sitting of Parliament Wednesday (April 19) afternoon. The minister also announced that there would the forming of a committee headed by trade unionist Helene Davis Whyte to establish a Joint Industrial Council for the regulation of the industry and the protection of the security employees. Minister Samuda also advised security officers to feel free to lodge complaints or seek advice from his ministry regarding breaches of worker-related benefits. 

A security officer on duty.

On September 23, 2022, the Revenue Court ruled that security guards are also employees and not independent contractors and should receive the full gamut of benefits owed to them. The case involved the National Housing Trust and Marksman Limited where the judge ruled that Marksman was now obligated to pay over their 3% statutory deduction to NHT on behalf of the workers.

Under the new dispensation, security personnel are now fully entitled to vacation leave, sick leave, overtime, maternity leave, where applicable, and all minimum standards for decent work in Jamaica. Some security officers however are claiming that the new contracts being offered by their employers breach these benefits. Hence several of them have refused to sign these new contracts, though the majority have agreed to the new terms.

The security industry is 25,000 workers strong, and according to PSRA data there are over 270 registered security companies in Jamaica.* Of that number Guardsman and Marksman are the two largest companies in the sector, with Guardsman employing close to 3000 officers, and Marksman employing just over 2,600 guards.** 

__________________

References: 

* Private Security Regulation Authority (PSRA). List of Security Companies licensed over the last two years, https://www.psra.gov.jm/Home/Registered_Companies

** Nexus. Find Security expertise in Jamaica, Commonwealth Network, 2020, https://www.commonwealthofnations.org/sectors-jamaica/business/security/