Be more considerate towards private security personnel
Many private security organizations are faced with balancing the needs of a security officer and a demanding client. The private security officer today while employed with very advanced technology is the lowest wage earner according to the “Wages Board” established by the Ministry of Labour. He starts with a “Putrid” salary scale of Rs 10,500 working for 26 to 27 days a month, depending on the particular month. He is placed on the same scale as a “Watcher” and “Patrolman”.an office labourer who has much less or no responsibility draws a better salary enjoying 14 days annual leave, 6 days medical and 6 days casual leave and a better overtime rate.
Recently a friend’s client said that the security officer can work only for 12 hours. But they failed to understand that this officer after 12 hours of work has to travel to his home which is located 10 Km away using public transport.
They have to walk about two kilometres as their homes are not close to a main road. By then he has lost about five hours and has neither time to rest nor time to spend with the family as he has to report for the next shift the next morning bringing his meals. Due to these difficulties, the security companies opted to provide work from 6 pm to 6 pm the following day so that his/her first shift starts in the night to ensure alertness. This would result in less travel costs.
The best solution is for the Labour Department to consider upgrading the salary scale of a security officer to that of a clerical hand and do away with the security officer grades from the Wages Board, ensuring that the officer is better recognized and better quality staff could be recruited to the trade. Today a security officer is entrusted with a highly responsible job to protect valuable assets in public institutions. They cannot be categorized as watchers or patrolmen! The present-day security officer is trained in fire fighting, first aid, writing and maintaining records, investigating and providing evidence in a court of law’ and handling fire arms. There are over 200, 000 personnel employed in this trade.
IT is Time that the Ministry Of Labour and Public Relations did something tangible to give this trade an elevation and proper recognition. We formed an “Industrial Security Foundation” in 1992. It was incorporated by Act Number 51 of 1999, with many companies being members including individuals. With its motto being “Security Builds Confidence” private security also known as industrial security is “Linked to prevention of crime”.