Trade unionist calls for Joint Industrial Council to represent interests of security guards

In the wake of recent court ruling that private security guards are employees and not independent contractors, a leading trade unionist is calling for the setting up of a Joint Industrial Council to facilitate union representation in the sector.

Vincent Morrison, President of the Union of Clerical, Administrative and Supervisory Employees (UCASE) has written to the Minister of Labour, urging that this course of action be adopted to avoid chaos in the sector.

The recent Supreme Court ruling on the matter involving the National Housing Trust and Marksman Limited Security company has set in motion intense debate on the future of the industrial security sector, specifically in relation to compensation and union representation.

The industry has been engaged in deep discussions based on the ruling, as it will mean significantly higher fees being charged by security companies for their services.

Mr Morrison, in an interview with Radio Jamaica News, argued that there's need for guidance and proper management of the affairs of security guards.

He therefore believes stakeholders should now be brought to the table to discuss the way forward, with a Joint Industrial Council being his favoured mechanism for handling industrial relations matters in the sector.

Mr Morrison reported that his union has been flooded with calls from security guards for them to be unionised since the court ruled that they are employees and not independent contractors.