Security staff for Games underpaid
A NATIONAL security company has admitted it may not have fully paid Commonwealth Games workers almost two weeks after the event finished.
Philippa Machray, of Ayr, was a venue supervisor with Wilson Security at the Aquatic Centre during the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast but claims she has been left out of pocket. Emails obtained by the Bulletin show a Wilson Security senior program manager, acknowledging she may not have been renumerated properly.
“You may not have yet received your full entitlements and you have not yet received any allowances … this is as a result of Wilson Security & Unimet not yet receiving every time sheet from our client for every Games venue,” the email said.
“As you would appreciate, Unimet cannot pay you in full until we actually know the hours you worked and the shifts you attended.”
The pay slip shows Ms Machray only received a little over $ 1100.
She said that figure should have been closer to $ 8000.
Ms Machray said the recruitment process lacked adequate communication, leaving workers in the dark in the lead- up to the Games.
“The experience is a fantastic once- in- a- lifetime ( one) and this has been the biggest balls- up logistically that I’ve ever been associated with, and I’ve been in the security industry since 1992,” she said.
“It’s one of the most poorly organised efforts I’ve worked for.
“I have people who worked under me who are now being evicted from their homes because they can’t pay the rent.”
Ms Machray’s claims come amid reports of wider issues with staffing, rostering and accreditation for contractors.
Emails seen by the Bulletin reveal security workers were allocated to sites they weren’t accredited for and were rostered on shifts the same day they had been booked for travel.
Ms Machray said as a result of poor working conditions and a lack of employee incentives, nearly 2000 work- ers walked off the job, leaving contracted security companies scrambling to fill positions.
About a week before the games began, advertisements sprung up online across job seeker sites to find licensed guards.
A Gold Coast Commonwealth Games Corporation spokesman said security contractors were responsible for payment of staff.
“We have no reason to believe those obligations will not be fulfilled,” he said.
“GOLDOC will be conducting random audits of primary and secondary contractors to ensure the correct remuneration has been provided.”
Wilson Security was contacted for comment.