JSIS president downplaying concerns of security guards regarding new contracts

President of the Jamaica Society for Industrial Security, Lieutenant Commander George Overton, is downplaying the concerns of security guards about their new employment contracts.

On April 1, the more than 24,000 security guards islandwide were transitioned to employee status, in keeping with a court ruling last September that they were not contract workers.

The guards are contending that the new contracts see them losing out on their years of service and the benefits they would have accumulated prior to April 1.

Commander Overton says it is clear that the ruling is in relation to the future and not retrospective.

He says the security guards have the option to sign the new contracts or not.

He was speaking today on the Moning Agenda on Power 106.

In the meantime Commander Overton has welcomed calls for the court to rule on the validity of the new contracts.

The Union of Clerical Administrative and Supervisory Employees has indicated that it has instructed its lawyers to challenge the legitimacy of the contracts in court.

Commander Overton says each company has to determine the best course of action for itself and the concern of the guards.

He says the court may be the best place to have the matter resolved.