– female guards warned not to entertain boyfriends on site
MINISTER within the Ministry of Social Protection with responsibility for Labour, Keith Scott, has ordered the management of Integrated Solution Services to pay its guards, with immediate effect, an hourly rate of $255.
The company has been paying 480 guards at its East and West Berbice locations an hourly rate of $225. The company was also cautioned to make overtime payments and honour the correct monthly pay date.
The order was issued after Minister Scott accompanied by Chief Labour Officer Charles Ogle; Deputy Chief Labour Officer, Karen Van Sluytman- Corbin; and regional Labour Officer, Neville Nicholson visited the New Amsterdam branch of Integrated Solution Services on Wednesday.
The ministry received several reports of underpayment, late payments, leave and other issues by guards, many of whom are single parent mothers who sometimes work in excess of 12 hours per day.
As a result of the reports, labour officers were dispatched and they garnered evidence garnered to support the claims of the disgruntled group, some of whom are still to receive full payment for December 2017.
The company was also ordered that the branch manager, Keran Ramhit, submit to the Labour Ministry the pay sheets which will indicate the hours of work by the guards, and deductions for the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), and taxes, along with the net pay.
In addition, copies of documents which should reflect the hourly rate and total hours of work if it exceeds 40 hours, must be submitted.
While the security company is expected to abide by the labour laws, Minister Scott also warned the female security guards that having boyfriends at the site or leaving the various worksites to visit their boyfriends will not be tolerated.
“If you want us to support you, then you too need to abide by the rules,” he said.
Meanwhile, during a protest action last month, the guards had highlighted the many challenges they face, as they were unable to meet their financial obligations and resulting in embarrassing situations, such as disagreements with landlords, disconnections of electricity and other utility services, and unpaid mortgages among other personal issues.
