High Court decision to block planned pay raise for security workers labelled 'a disgrace'

/ 28th August 2022 /

The High Court has blocked the government from introducing pay raises for 16,000 workers in the security sector that had been due to come into effect next Monday.

Minister of State for Employment Damien English had earlier this month sanctioned an Employment Regulation Order that would increase the minimum rate of pay for security workers from €11.65 per hour to €12.50 on 29 August and again to €12.90 on 1 February next year.

Lawyers for security firms Top Security, Morbury and Las Security successfully argued in the High Court that the regulation would support the interests of larger employers and reduce competition and employment by turning clients towards technology solutions.

Sean Hall, managing director of Manguard Plus, one of Ireland's largest security firms, is now seeking an urgent meeting with Minister English to address the High Court decision.

Hall described injunction as a "disgrace" and has called on the Minister to try to have the injunction lifted ahead of the judicial review in November.

"This new High Court injunction against the ERO is an absolute disgrace," said Hall. "It’s a very regressive move and one that will do absolutely nothing for the entire security industry.

"The security companies who are against the ERO are effectively holding the whole security industry to ransom. It’s almost like a race to the bottom and that doesn’t serve anybody well, be it the security industry, the hard-working employees and clients.

Sean Hall of Manguard Plus has criticised the court's decision.

"We are living through an inflationary economy, inflation is running at some 10.6%, and holding up the ERO is taking money right out of all security employees pockets. It is wrong and unjust."

Hall continued: “I am seeking an urgent meeting with the Minister. It is crucial that he understands the huge efforts that have been made to negotiate the proposed ERO and impress on him the sectoral damage that will be done if Security Officers are not paid fairly”.

“The Minister must do all he can to try and have this High Court Injunction lifted ahead of the judicial review this November. It is incomprehensible that 16,000 security personnel, who were expecting a pay rise next Monday now won’t get it. It is blatantly wrong."

Manguard employs 1,200 people between its offices in Belfast, Cork, Dublin and Naas, and it also has offices in London and Chester. Its clients include Aer Lingus, Dublin Port Company, DSV and Virgin Media. The three companies that pursued the injunction employ around 300 in total.

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment acknowledged the High Court ruling and confirmed the pay increase would not be implemented.

"The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has received notification that the High Court has granted an Injunction prohibiting the Minister from commencing the proposed Statutory Instrument giving effect to a new Employment Regulation Order for the Security Industry on 24 August 2022," the Department said in a statement,

"Accordingly, the increases of minimum pay rate increases for the Security Industry which Minister English announced on the 3rd August 2022 will not now have statutory effect from 29 August 2022."

(Pic: Getty Images)