United Voice News
Guards slam Senate's dangerous air security report
Security officers have condemned a proposal to replace guards protecting our airports with new recruits as reckless, and they have demanded the Federal Government immediately repudiate the plan.
The proposal is contained in a Senate committee report released today, which outlines a major overhaul in airport security.
“We condemn this proposal as reckless and a recipe for disaster,” says Jess Walsh, Victorian Secretary of United Voice, the Security Union.
“Throwing away the accumulated experience and skills built up over decades by thousands of private security officers at airports and replacing them with fresh new recruits is just crazy.”
“We call on the Federal Government to repudiate and reject this ridiculous proposal, which is undermining confidence in airport security and is a slap in the face for thousands of hard-working, highly-experienced security officers.”
“What kind of message does this send to air-travellers who every day rely on aviation security public to keep them safe from terror attacks?”
“The Senate Committee identified high turnover of private security guards as the main reason for initiating these changes.”
“However a major report we released today demonstrates that a lack of respect for the experience and professionalism of guards is why they are leaving this industry.”
“It is just basic common sense that the solution is to invest in the existing aviation security workforce who every day risk their safety to ensure ours, rather than waste money on starting again from scratch.”
“Security guards think this is a reckless and dangerous proposal, one that the travelling public should be very worried about.”
Security Failure: Preventing Another 9/11, a new report released today by United Voice finds that in the decade since the terror attacks in New York, guards are better trained and face tough licensing standards — and Australia now depends on them to protect us from terrorism and crime.
Security Failure: Click here to read the report that reveals a crisis in the security industry
But the report also reveals that experienced, properly-trained officers are leaving the industry in droves because of low pay and a lack of respect from employers and the public.
“So it would be infinitely more practical and economical to recognise and rewarding our guards for doing the job that they do well and that they do now.”
