After 4 years and 2 months without a mandated pay increase, the 16,000 security workers across Ireland can now access a new minimum rate of pay from 4 September 2023.
The new floor in this low-pay high-hours sector is 12.90. But the delay means it’s now only 1 euro and 60 cents above the 2023 national minimum wage for entry level work. The numbers are a small victory. And the difference between the ERO minimum for this risky long-hours job will continue to shrink for the 3-year life of this Employment Regulation Order.
By 2025 governement has promised the national minimum wage will be 12.70 and 2023’s Security Industry minimum is 12.90: just 20 cents from the basic national minimum wage. The ERO has a 3 year graduated increase linked to the national minimum wage. But as the cost of living increases these workers will gradually fall further behind.
It’s clear that the ERO rates are losing for workers. The lose gradually year on year. It has vulnerabilities that owners can attack in the courts. We saw essentially one employer prevent the ERO functioning for 3 years by getting injunctions in the High Court and a passive government claiming there was no way to take action.
It’s workers of course who are paying for the fact that these increases aren’t being backdated.
The High Court’s injunctions, the Minister’s 2021 delay, the government’s inaction, and a union leadership who wouldn’t disputes all came together to focus people’s attention. It resulted in the one positive development: The Security Officers United campaign.
Active, campaigning security officers in different unions and none came together to build meetings, newsletters, strategies, committees, posters, banners, social media and protests which got national attention from security clients, providers and government. Steadily declining results from union-employer ‘partnership’ strategy show, when workers don’t fight, they lose. When they do fight, at least they have a shot at winning. And in struggle they grow their ability to organise and fight the next battle better.
Well done to the Security Officers United campaign.
