Prison escort guards employed by First Security are to be paid the living wage of $20.20 per hour as their base rate.
First Security is to be congratulated for their decision to pay the living wage to its Prison Escort & Court Custodial Services (PECCS) security guards.
This is an increase in pay of more than 15%.
First Security has just renegotiated its contract with Corrections in Auckland and the North. One of the aims of the renegotiations was to increase the guards’ pay.
The PECCS guards have been pushing for a substantial increase in pay through their union, says E tū security industry organiser Len Richards.
“They are currently paid well below the higher pay rates of directly-employed Corrections guards doing the same work in other parts of the country,” he says.
The guards joined E tū after a meeting with the union at First Security HQ last year.
“At the meeting, guards strongly expressed their dissatisfaction with their pay rates, which start at just over $17 an hour,” Len says.
E tū has initiated bargaining with First Security for a collective employment agreement for the PECCS guards.
E tū and the Living Wage Aotearoa movement would like to see all security guards being paid at least the living wage. This is an important milestone towards that goal.