A new Employment Regulation Order (ERO) for the Security Industry, approved by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment in April, and due to come into force from September 1st next would see increased pay and improved conditions for employees of the private security industry.
The agreed increase in pay and improved conditions is currently being challenged by three security companies who have brought a High Court challenge aimed at setting aside the ministerial order that would see individuals working in the industry receive increased pay.
The Irish Security Industry Association (ISIA) fully supports the introduction of this ERO to ensure the industry, which ensures the safety and security of businesses and the public across the State, compensates its staff accordingly and can continue to attract the right calibre of staff to deliver these critical services to public and private sector services.
In response to this recent action, Gill O’Riordan, Chair of the Guarding Services Division of the ISIA, stated ‘the ISIA fully supports the introduction of this ERO, the Security Industry Joint Labour Committee (JLC) as the mechanism for negotiating improved pay and conditions and the action taken by the Minister to approve this ERO. Our industry delivers critical services and will face challenges without the introduction of this ERO setting improved minimum rates of pay and conditions for our people”.
The ISIA has been representing the needs of the private security industry since its foundation in 1972. The ISIA is the larger of two trade associations representing the spectrum of employers in the private security industry on the security industry JLC. Both employer representatives of the JLC negotiated and agreed the terms of the ERO along with Union representatives of employees. Our members, Guarding Services employers, generate approximately 70% of the industry’s turnover and employ over 7,000 employees.