Pay increases and improved benefits are on the way for workers in the security sector, following the signing into law of a new security Employment Regulation Order (ERO) by Minister Ged Nash.

The key aspects of the ERO agreement for security workers include:

+ An increase in the minimum hourly remuneration to €10.75 per hour;
+ Overtime rates of time and a half for hours worked in excess of an average 48-hour working week;
+ Increases in sick pay benefits;
+ An expansion of Scope of Death in Service benefit up to the state pensionable age.

The introduction of the ERO was necessitated by the striking out in the High Court of the employment regulation orders in 2011.

In order to deal with the constitutional deficiencies identified in 2011, the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2012 was subsequently introduced. The ERO came into effect for the security sector on October 1.

In Association with

The Irish Security Industry Association (ISIA) welcomed the introduction of the security ERO, which, according to ISIA president Alan Durnan, is critical to ensure that the industry attracts and retains the best people.

Durnan added: “Our security guarding industry has been undermined significantly since 2011, with a race to the bottom by employers willing to pay below previous ERO pay levels, and by frameworks and tenders that focus solely on price, with little regard to quality, training, safety, value-add, innovation or transfer regulations.”