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Security whistleblower sacked for exposing fraud on taxpayers
Fri 2 Jul 10
Unite Union is outraged the security guard who spoke out against her employer pressuring staff to “cheat” so they would complete NZQA security training modules has been sacked by her employer.
“Cheating” provides government subsidies for security company
Tue 4 May 10
Unite Union has requested the New Zealand Qualifications Authority investigate the provision of training for security guards at Allied Security where staff undergoing training have been supplied with the answers to fill in “in their own words” (see email attached)
Following an email to site supervisors the staff undergoing training were provided with the Assessor Guides from which to copy the answers into their training booklets.
One of our members refused to complete the booklets by copying answers because she said it was “cheating” . She complained to the Union and we are now taking this up with the New Zealand Qualification Authority.
Unite has copies of the Assessor Guides (answers) and student booklets provided to these guards.
Security Officers Training Day
Sat 10 Oct 09
Health and Safety, pay rates and pizzas (for lunch) were the main topics discussed at the recent training session for security officer delegates. Everyone was enthusiastic about the opportunities for the union to work at significant improvement in pay and conditions for this sector. Security is freely acknowledged by the companies themselves to be low-paid with long hours of work to bring in enough income. Guards typically work 12 hour shifts overnight and frequently 60 to 70 hours per week at not much above the minimum wage. Health and Safety is an area where huge improvement is needed. Every day guards are placed in difficult situations often with minimal training and safety gear such as RTs which are not operational.
Unite News
Wed 5 Aug 09
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Security staff on strike for the first time in over three years
Wed 6 Aug 08
For the first time in at least 3 years, security patrol staff from First Security Guard Services walked off the job last Tuesday from 7:30pm in protest against the company's offer during pay negotiations.
Company management arrived at the Unite offices, where security cars were lining the street, their occupants inside refusing to respond to the alarms going off around a rainy Auckland City.
The company promised a pay offer by lunchtime the following day and the guards went back to work at 8:30pm.
"It was impressive how quickly the workers got a renewed offer from the company when they took it upon themselves to carry out industrial action," says Unite security organiser, John Minto.
The offer came through and discussions have continued since then.
The Long Walk
Sat 2 Jun 07
On the weekend of April 14th/15th David Wheeler, a Unite delegate from ADT, did a 100km walk for Oxfam, an organisation that raises funds to stop poverty and injustice worldwide.
Called Oxfam Trailwalker the event was held in Taupo, covering farmland, bush, forest and some roads. There were around 200 teams of 4 people, and each team had to stay together for the duration.
Each team had to raise money by sponsorship and/or events. David was part of the team “Flynnbo Seniors” and they managed to raise nearly $5000 in sponsorship.
Security contracts
Mon 2 Apr 07
“Security is an area where it is very difficult for unions to operate”, says Unite National Director Mike Treen. “The problem is not that staff don’t want to join a union but that it is very difficult to get effective access to seeing employees and talking to them when they are so scattered across the city.”
Despite the is Unite is making steady progress. We are shortly to begin negotiations with First Security for a national agreement covering Unite members who are static guards and patrol staff employed by the company.
Supporting individual workers
Fri 2 Mar 07
Much union organiser time is spent working on behalf of individual members facing a range of problems in the workplace. Here are a few Chris Lennon has been dealing with recently.
Case 1:
Large employer. Unite members ratified a new collective agreement in December 2006. All terms and conditions were to be backdated to the 1st of July 2006.
The employer saw things differently and decided to put their own spin on things and a number of Unite members were left out in the cold.
Well! After a real tussle with management pointing out the facts of life and timely intervention by the dedicated on site delegates this matter has for the most part been resolved. Unite is currently seeking Mediation for the one member who has not received her legal and hard won entitlements.
