Ever wondered what we do? These case studies highlight some of the brilliant work the team at the Security Industry Federation Trade Union do day in and day out.
Defending Workers’ Rights
These case studies demonstrate the critical role of the Security Industry Federation in protecting security workers from unfair treatment, wage theft, discrimination, and wrongful dismissals. Until the union stepped in, these companies were quite content to ignore employment law, disregard their workers’ rights, and assume they would not be challenged.
The SIF restores dignity to security professionals, ensuring that their rights are upheld and that no employer can exploit or mistreat them without consequences.
The union has the legal right to represent workers in workplace hearings, negotiate collectively, and hold employers accountable through legal challenges, ensuring justice where individual workers might otherwise struggle to fight alone.
Overturning a Client-Requested SOSR Dismissal
A security officer with a long-standing record of good performance was
removed from a client site after a minor disagreement with a manager from
the client company. The client requested their removal, and the security
company proposed to dismiss them under “Some Other Substantial Reason”
(SOSR), claiming no alternative positions were available.
Steps Taken by the SIF:
Challenged the SOSR dismissal, highlighting that the worker had no
history of misconduct or performance issues.
Demanded evidence from the employer to justify why no alternative
positions were offered.
Argued that the employer had a duty to seek redeployment before
dismissal.
Engaged in negotiations, proving that other employees had been
reassigned in similar situations.
Cited case law and ACAS guidance, demonstrating that failure to offer
alternative roles could make the dismissal unfair.
Pressured the employer through collective action, warning of legal
repercussions.
Secured the worker’s reinstatement into a different site, ensuring
continuity of employment with full pay and benefits restored.
Restoring Dignity and Upholding Rights:
The employer initially believed it could remove workers at will, disregarding due process and workers’ rights. The union had the power to challenge this decision, overturn the dismissal, and force the employer to act fairly.
Challenging Unlawful Suspension Without Pay
A security officer was suspended without pay after an allegation was made against them at work. Despite no formal investigation being carried out, the employer refused to provide details of the allegation and did not set a timeline for their return. The worker was left without income for several weeks, struggling financially, while the employer stalled the process.
Steps Taken by the SIF:
Demanded a written explanation for the suspension, including the
grounds and supporting evidence.
Challenged the decision to suspend without pay, citing ACAS guidelines
which state that suspensions should be paid unless there is a contractual
clause stating otherwise.
Submitted a grievance, arguing that the employer was acting unfairly
and failing to follow due process.
Escalated the case to ACAS early conciliation, warning of potential legal
action for unlawful deduction of wages.
Pressured the employer to either reinstate the worker immediately or
justify their suspension with proper due process.
Secured full back pay for the period of suspension and ensured that any
future suspensions followed fair and lawful procedures.
Restoring Dignity and Upholding Rights:
The employer assumed they could suspend workers indefinitely without pay, leaving them without financial security. The union had the expertise and authority to challenge this unfair practice, forcing the employer to reinstate wages and conduct a proper investigation.
Recovering Unpaid Wages After a TUPE Transfer
A group of security officers were transferred to a new employer under TUPE regulations but were left without pay for weeks due to mismanagement. The new employer failed to issue contracts, payroll records were missing, and there was no formal communication with staff.
Steps Taken by the SIF:
Investigated TUPE compliance, proving the new employer was legally
responsible for paying staff.
Demanded immediate payment, highlighting employment law
breaches.
Contacted the previous employer, confirming financial obligations under
TUPE.
Escalated the issue to ACAS and threatened employment tribunal
claims.
Coordinated collective worker action, ensuring all affected staff
submitted wage claims together.
Secured full back pay.
Restoring Dignity and Upholding Rights:
Without SIF intervention, these workers would have been left unpaid and ignored. The employer only acted when union pressure made it impossible to delay further.
Recovering Underpaid Holiday Pay for a Group of Security Officers
A group of security officers noticed that their holiday pay was consistently lower than expected, as their employer only calculated pay based on basic contracted hours, excluding overtime, shift premiums, and bank holiday rates.
Steps Taken by the SIF:
Reviewed wage slips and holiday pay calculations, confirming
underpayment.
Cited the Working Time Regulations (WTR) and case law, proving holiday
pay must reflect regular earnings.
Filed collective grievances, ensuring all affected workers challenged the
employer at the same time.
Demanded backdated payments, covering up to two years of unpaid
holiday pay.
Escalated the case to ACAS and threatened a tribunal claim.
Secured payment of the owed holiday pay.
Restoring Dignity and Upholding Rights:
The employer knew it was underpaying staff but expected no one would challenge them. The union had the resources and collective power to take on widespread wage theft and secure fair treatment for workers.
Recovering Unpaid Invoices for a Self-Employed Security Worker
A self-employed security officer was contracted by a firm to provide security
services at a commercial site. Despite completing the work, the company
failed to pay multiple invoices, ignoring all payment reminders.
Steps Taken by the SIF:
Sent a formal letter before action, warning of legal consequences.
Escalated the case through ACAS, securing formal representation.
Leveraged collective pressure, warning of reputational consequences.
Threatened legal action through the Small Claims Court.
Secured full payment.
Restoring Dignity and Upholding Rights: Without a union, self-employed
security workers often struggle to enforce payment terms. The SIF ensured
this worker was not exploited and that the employer paid what was owed.
Defending a Worker Facing Discrimination Due to a Health Condition
A security officer with a serious medical condition was experiencing discrimination related to medical absences. Their employer failed to make reasonable adjustments.
Steps Taken by the SIF:
Submitted a formal reasonable adjustments request.
Challenged the employer’s refusal, citing disability discrimination law.
Engaged ACAS for early conciliation.
Ensured the worker received proper accommodations without
retaliation.
Restoring Dignity and Upholding Rights:
The employer had no intention of supporting this worker’s medical needs. Only the union had the legal knowledge and power to challenge the company and enforce disability rights.
Why Union Support is Crucial
These cases demonstrate that employers frequently violate workers’ rights, assuming individual workers lack the knowledge, resources, or power to challenge them.
Employers will continue to underpay, mistreat, and unlawfully dismiss workers until they are forced to stop. The union has the legal right to represent workers in workplace hearings, to negotiate settlements, and escalate cases to ACAS and employment
tribunals.
The Security Industry Federation does not allow employers to treat security officers as disposable. We fight for fair treatment, dignity, and respect for all workers in the industry.
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