MALAWI

G4S workers renew strike threat in Malawi

Largest Employer on UK Stock Exchange won't even agree to pay workers enough to keep up with inflation

For Immediate Release, February 1, 2008
Contact: Jo-Ann Mort (US) 718-954-0352
Paul Collins (UK) (0)7983550728
 
Security guards for G4S in Malawi, struggling to survive on poverty pay, today renewed their threat to strike unless Africa's biggest multinational employer agrees to meet their demand for a 30% rise. The guards, paid on average only £15 ($30 USD) per month - a quarter of a living wage - have turned down the company's 12% offer, which doesn’t even keep up with inflation in Malawi. Last July, G4S recognized the Textile, Garment, Leather and Security Services Workers Union in Malawi, and by October, the union and the company started to negotiate an agreement for G4S’ 13,000 workers there. In the past, wage increases for G4S workers in Malawi have been in the neighborhood of 20% in order to keep pace with the inflation generated by chronic currency devaluation. The workers perceive this year’s proposed increase to be much lower as punishment for their support for the union.
 
Many of the 13,000 members of the G4S workforce must walk ninety minutes each way to and from work, live in homes without electricity or running water and cannot afford to meet their children’s school or medical fees. A G4S guard in Malawi would need to work for 7,583 years to obtain the annual pay given to the firm's chief executive, UK-based Nick Buckles, whose latest salary exceeds £1.1 million (2.19 million USD).
 
The company won a court injunction against a strike that was set to begin on Wednesday January30th. The Malawi Textile, Garment, Leather and Security Services Workers' Union aim to overturn the ban on Sunday and call a stoppage on Monday, February 4th if G4S continues to reject their claim.

“Our workers simply want justice. G4S, as the largest multinational in Africa, has a responsibility to work with us to achieve this,” said Grace Nyirenda, General Secretary of the union.

“When I met with G4S workers from Malawi several months ago, I was moved by their determination to provide for their families. In a country dotted with tea plantations, these workers consider the purchase of tea a luxury. They can’t afford to send their children to school. This is unacceptable. The nearly 2 million members of SEIU stand with them. We will assist their efforts to live in dignity,” said Gerald Hudson, international executive vice president of SEIU.

War on Want trade unions officer Jackie Simpkins said: “G4S workers have the right to a living wage and decent conditions. We call on the company to do the right thing and heed this call from its Malawian staff.”

G4S represents 68% of the security business in Malawi. The workers guard big corporations, government offices, and NGOs. G4S is the largest employer trading on the London Stock Exchange and the largest multinational in Africa.

UNION LEADERS ARE AVAILABLE FOR PRESS INTERVIEWS, VIDEO AND PHOTOS ARE ALSO ACCESSIBLE.
For more information, go to www.uniglobalunion.org/property and www.waronwant.org.

PRESS RELEASE: 20 July 2007

Global Union Solidarity Brings Victory for G4S Security Workers in Malawi

A Preemptive Strike: G4S in Malawi

7 September, 2006, Lilongwe--Employees of Safetech, a Malawi security company in takeover talks with G4S, went on strike in August over fears that their working conditions would decline if they became G4S employees. While the Safetech workers in Lilongwe have now returned to their posts, they remain deeply concerned about the impact of the potential buyout. Workers are also concerned that they will be denied the benefits they are legally entitled to if their company is bought out.

“We are concerned that after the sale has been concluded, Group 4 International will continue implementing its conditions of service on us but we don’t want that to happen because Safetech’s conditions were better,” one Safetech employee told The Nation, a Malawi newspaper.

Union leaders report that many G4S security officers allege that they work twelve hours a day without receiving overtime pay, and that their wages are lower than at other companies, like Safetech. They also say that the company refuses to allow them to go to the government hospital for diagnosis and treatment when they are injured on the job. This makes it difficult for security officers to get the medical treatment and compensation to which they are legally entitled. G4S employs almost 10,000 workers in Malawi.

The Daily Times (Malawi)

G4S strike hits Standard Bank
BY Sellina Nkowani
11:14:38 - 01 February 2008

SOME of Standard Bank services have been negatively affected due to the on going industrial action by Group 4 Securicor (G4S), the bank has announced.

In a statement published Thursday the bank says it has taken some measures to find alternative means for the affected areas.

“However, we have been assured by Group 4 Securicor management that normal services will resume soon,” reads part of the statement.

The strike started Wednesday with guards demanding a 30 percent annual salary increment which management refused saying they could only manage 12 percent.

The court however, stopped the strike after management got an injunction Tuesday evening and employees were told to go back to work on Wednesday morning as the workers’ union also went to court to seek an injunction which the court refused to grant them.

According to The Daily Times investigations G4S charges it clients K18, 834.45 for a guard on a 12 hour shift.

Those with an Malawi School Certificate of Education (equivalent of O levels ), who are also known as commissioners, are at K29,412.83 while those putting on Securicor Uniform are at K23,477.52.

The investigations also revealed that the rates customers pay for a Dog and Handler is K40, 632.32 and a supervisor is at K23, 477.75 and the patrol and alarm guards are at K10, 161.87.

However despite netting so much money for the company the starting salary for a guard is K3200 per month (K8 per hour) and those with more experience get about K4000(K11 per hour).There is no guard who gets more than K20, 000.

Government has announced with effect from January this year a minimum wage of about K129 per day for those in town up from K87 and K95 in rural areas from K66.

G4S is an international company that has branches all over the world. In the United Kingdom their guards do not get less than 5.68 pounds per hour (about K1,700) or K40,000 per 24 hour shift.