March 15, 2006—GMB, Britain’s general union, warned recently that there would be a shortage of licensed security guards in the UK after the March 20, 2006, licensing deadline.
After March 20, anyone operating without a license will be committing a criminal offense, yet many security companies have reportedly not yet licensed either their company or their guarding staff.
GMB is concerned that thousands of security guards will lose their jobs, interrupting services for numerous businesses. Union members are reporting that some guards are already being laid off because they have not yet obtained their licenses.
The members also told GMB that many security employers have been remiss in their training programs, have failed to help their employees through the licensing process, and many of them expect the guards to pay the license fee of 190 out of their own pockets.
GMB pressed for the licensing of the security industry for many years to drive criminality out of the industry and to improve standards. GMB says the security industry is notorious for low pay, long hours, and poor working conditions, and it resisted regulation for many years.
GMB called on the British Government to extend the licensing deadline for the UK’s 162,000 security guards to June 30, 2006. However, GMB says the government should retain the March 20 deadline for directors and managers and disallow any company that has not cooperated with the Security Industry Authority’s licensing program from Approved Contractor Status.
