A message from SIF General Secretary Daniel Garnham

In August, we explained how new trade union access rights could transform representation across the security industry. With 30th October fast approaching, it is time to look beyond the legislation and consider what we can achieve together.

The law is changing. Now the real work begins.

Back in August, we explained how the new rights, introduced through the Employment Rights Act 2025, would give independent trade unions a stronger legal route to engage with workers in workplaces where access has historically been difficult or actively discouraged.

For an industry built around outsourced contracts, isolated working, long shifts and dispersed workforces, this represented a significant development.

But as we approach 30 October, I want to focus on something even more important.

Workplace access is not the ultimate objective. Workplace power is.

Having the opportunity to enter a workplace, speak to security officers or communicate with employees digitally is valuable. But those opportunities mean little unless they lead to stronger representation, better working conditions and a genuine collective voice.

That is what SIF intends to achieve.

Security workers deserve more than occasional representation

Every week, SIF supports members facing workplace challenges that should never have escalated as far as they did.

We deal with unfair disciplinary procedures, disputes over wages, discrimination, bullying, unsafe working practices, unreasonable changes to working arrangements and employers failing to address legitimate concerns.

We have secured significant outcomes for members, including overturning dismissals and helping workers return to their jobs.

These successes matter enormously to the individuals involved.

But they also highlight a wider problem.

Too often, security workers only discover the value of trade union representation when their employment is already at risk. By that stage, relationships with management may have broken down, evidence may be difficult to obtain and employees may be facing considerable personal and financial pressure.

We want to change that culture.

Our ambition is for security workers to have a relationship with their union long before something goes wrong.

We want officers to understand their employment rights, know where to seek support and feel confident that they can raise concerns collectively without being isolated or intimidated.

The new workplace access framework gives us an important opportunity to make that happen.

Employers are already opening conversations with SIF

One of the most encouraging developments in recent weeks has been the number of security employers engaging with SIF about the forthcoming access rights.

Some have proactively contacted us to discuss what meaningful engagement could look like across their contracts and workplaces.

Others have sought clarification about how access requests will operate, particularly where workers are spread across numerous client sites.

We welcome these conversations.

They demonstrate that there are employers willing to approach the reforms constructively rather than treating trade union engagement as something to resist.

Our approach has been consistent.

SIF is not seeking to interfere with the delivery of security services, compromise sensitive sites or create unnecessary disruption.

We understand the operational realities of the industry.

However, the complexity of security contracts must not become an excuse for denying workers a meaningful opportunity to speak to their union.

We believe there are practical arrangements that can accommodate both operational requirements and workers’ rights.

These may include agreed workplace visits, meetings around shift changes, online discussions, digital communications and opportunities for officers to speak privately with SIF representatives.

The precise arrangements will depend on the statutory process and the circumstances of each workplace.

What matters is that access is meaningful, not simply a box-ticking exercise.

Trade union access should benefit workers and responsible employers

There is sometimes a perception that a trade union entering a workplace must inevitably lead to confrontation.

That is not how we approach our work.

A strong trade union can help employers identify issues before they escalate into formal disputes.

It can improve communication, challenge poor management practices and ensure that employees’ concerns are heard by people with the authority to address them.

Security employers regularly speak about improving staff retention, professionalism, welfare and workforce engagement.

Those ambitions should be entirely compatible with constructive trade union relationships.

But engagement must be genuine.

It is not enough for employers to provide occasional access while ignoring repeated concerns about pay, staffing, welfare or the treatment of employees.

Meaningful engagement means listening to workers, acknowledging problems and being prepared to address them.

SIF will always prefer constructive dialogue where that dialogue produces meaningful outcomes.

Equally, we will not shy away from challenging employers where workers’ rights are being disregarded.

From isolated officers to an organised workforce

This is where the real opportunity lies.

Imagine a security contract where officers currently work across several locations, rarely meet one another and have little opportunity to discuss the conditions under which they are employed.

Individually, those workers may raise concerns about shift patterns, unpaid breaks, welfare facilities or staffing levels.

Some complaints may be dismissed as isolated issues.

Others may never be raised at all.

Now imagine those same workers have regular opportunities to engage with SIF.

They begin discussing their experiences, identifying common problems and understanding that their colleagues are facing similar difficulties.

They establish workplace contacts, develop confidence and start raising concerns collectively.

Suddenly, the conversation changes.

What was previously treated as one employee’s complaint becomes an issue affecting an entire group of workers.

That is the difference between having access to a trade union and building genuine workplace strength.

It does not happen automatically.

It requires members who are willing to speak to colleagues, share information, encourage participation and support one another.

The legislation creates an opportunity. Workers and their union must make that opportunity count.

Our ambition goes beyond individual security contracts

SIF was established because security professionals deserve a trade union that understands their industry, the challenges they face and the responsibilities they carry.

Those challenges are not confined to one employer.

Across the sector, we see recurring concerns about:

• Pay that fails to reflect the responsibility and risks associated with security work.
• Excessive working hours, fatigue and unpredictable shift arrangements.
• Poor welfare facilities and inadequate opportunities for rest.
• Violence, harassment and abuse directed towards security personnel.
• Unfair disciplinary procedures and inconsistent management standards.
• Employment insecurity when contracts change hands.
• Limited opportunities for professional development and career progression.

These are industry-wide issues.

And industry-wide issues require an organised workforce capable of making its collective voice heard.

We want to see stronger workplace representation, more effective engagement with employers and, where appropriate, collective bargaining agreements that secure meaningful improvements for security workers.

We also want to challenge the wider culture in which security personnel are sometimes treated as an interchangeable cost rather than skilled professionals performing essential work.

That will require sustained effort.

No single piece of legislation will achieve it for us.

But the new access rights provide another mechanism through which we can build the organisation necessary to demand change.

Your employer does not have to recognise SIF for you to join us

I also want to address an issue that continues to cause confusion.

Some security workers believe they can only join the trade union recognised by their employer.

That is incorrect.

You can choose to join SIF regardless of whether your employer formally recognises us.

The recognition of another union does not, in itself, remove your right to become an SIF member.

Formal collective bargaining recognition and statutory workplace access are separate legal arrangements, and specific rules apply to how they operate.

We will continue working constructively with employers while seeking appropriate access arrangements and pursuing recognition opportunities.

What matters to us is that workers understand their choices and can access independent trade union support.

Now we need our members to help build the future

In August, I encouraged every SIF member to speak to at least one colleague about joining the union.

I want to repeat that message today, but go further.

As we move towards the implementation of the new workplace access framework, we need members who are prepared to help us build a stronger presence across the industry.

That does not mean every member needs to become a trained workplace representative or take on a formal union position.

Sometimes, the most valuable contribution is simply being the person who helps colleagues understand what SIF does and how to contact us.

We are asking members to:

1. Help us identify workplaces where SIF should seek access.

Tell us where you work, which security company employs you and whether colleagues would welcome the opportunity to speak with us.

2. Start conversations with colleagues.

Find out what issues matter to them. Is it pay, working hours, welfare, management behaviour, health and safety or something else?

3. Encourage colleagues to join SIF.

The more workers who organise together, the stronger our collective voice becomes.

4. Consider becoming an SIF workplace contact or representative.

We want to build a network of people who can help us understand what is happening across security contracts and support better communication between members and the union.

5. Keep us informed.

If your employer has responded positively to trade union engagement, we want to know. Equally, if workers are being discouraged from joining a union or discussing their rights, please tell us.

Members should share information lawfully, respect confidentiality and avoid disclosing sensitive client or security arrangements unnecessarily.

A defining opportunity for our industry

I have always believed that security workers deserve greater professional respect than they too often receive.

They are trusted to protect people, buildings, businesses and critical infrastructure, frequently in challenging and sometimes dangerous circumstances.

Yet many still struggle to secure fair treatment, decent working conditions or a meaningful say in decisions affecting their livelihoods.

That imbalance must change.

The new workplace access rights are not a guarantee that every employer will suddenly become more receptive or that every workplace problem will disappear.

There will be disagreements, practical challenges and employers who are reluctant to engage.

But there will also be opportunities to develop productive relationships, reach workers who have never previously spoken to a union and demonstrate the value of collective representation.

Our task is to turn those opportunities into lasting improvements.

The next chapter starts with us

When we published our original article in August, we described 30th October as a turning point for security workers.

I remain convinced that it can be.

But turning points only matter if something changes afterwards.

I do not want the Security Industry Federation simply to count the number of workplaces we have visited or the number of employers who have responded to our letters.

I want us to measure success by the improvements we help secure for security workers.

Better treatment. Better representation. Safer workplaces. Stronger collective agreements. And an industry in which security professionals know that their voices matter.

The law may give us a route into workplaces. It is our members who will give us the strength to change them.

To every SIF member: speak to your colleagues, encourage them to become involved and help us identify where representation is needed.

We have spent years building a trade union dedicated to security professionals.

Now we have an opportunity to take that work further.

Together, we can make 30th October the beginning of something much bigger.

Daniel Garnham
General Secretary
Security Industry Federation (SIF)

Want SIF to engage with your workplace? Contact us at support@sif.org.uk and help us build a stronger voice for security workers.