News

UNI Global Union and our affiliate in Ghana, the Union of Private Security Personal (UPSP) have launched this year's organising blitz. G4S Security guards from around Ghana and international union leaders came together in Ghana to launch a 5 day blitz to talk to fellow G4S guards about the common issues and the need to come together in the union to have power to change their wages, working conditions and lives. This year's blitz action is focused in the industrial city of Tema, just outside of Accra.

The theme of our campaign is 'Guarding Wealth; Living in Poverty' and this is because we see G4S security guards working for as little $65 USD per month while working for a company that is the biggest employer in Africa and $735 million worldwide profit last year.

While talking to G4S guards, who are securing banks, shopping centres and large private residences, we are hearing about problems like having to pay for uniforms, low wages that force the guards to live in poverty, the long 12 hour shifts for 6 days a week and not being able to access annual leave for years on end.

The union has grown significantly in last year and we are now in stronger bargaining position with G4S.

Nigel Flanagan, Senior Organiser for SCORE, has been working with the UPSP for the last 12 months and lead the last 5 day blitz in Ghana. He said 'Last November we had a blitz week where we recruited 1053 new members. Since then there have been more than 800 guards who have made a decision to stand together with their fellow guards. This week we are expecting great results in Tema. G4S won't be able to ignore the issues for these guards for much longer'.

Joanna Katsoulas, Senior Organiser for Property Services, said 'I am blown away by the commitment and passion by the guards who have joined us this week. Vincent is in my team - he joins us during the day, talking to his coworkers about the need to build a strong union, and then goes to work night shift from 6 pm to 6 am at a 5 star hotel, and then joins again the following day. This is what successful, strong unions are made from - union activists like Vincent.'

UNI Global Union and our affiliate, the UPSP, want to thank Finnish Union PAM and the Finnish Solidarity Centre SASK for funding the campaign this year. Furthermore, a special shout to those who have joined the blitz from our European Affiliates - Kwasi Agyemang-Prempeh from UNITE in the UK, Marianne Jekkers from Dutch Union FNV Bondgenoten and Peter Jorgensen and Poul Kronborg from the Danish Security Guards Union.