Accra, April 30, GNA - Private security employees are advocating to join the trade unions to enable them to negotiate for better conditions of service.

To this effect, a six-month advocacy programme by the Union of Private Security Employees, Ghana (UPSEG) was launched in Accra on Wednesday to sensitise both the employers and employees on the need to embrace the initiative.

Nana Kofi Adu II, Chairman of UPSEG said most private security personnel refused to join trade unions, unless told to do so by their supervisors and this had affected their conditions of service.

He said the guards, for instance averagely earned 60 Ghana cedis a month and were paid for only the normal eight hours work instead of the 12 hours duty work they did each day.

The guards, he said, also worked for six days in a week and were denied access to their annual leave, adding, "Even if you want to sell your leave, you get just 10 cedis for it".

Nana Adu II further also expressed disappointment at the use of the guards as domestic servants in most homes and non-payment by their clients, despite the risk involved in their work.

"The private clients are the worse in these areas and would abrogate contracts with the security provider if demands were made for improved conditions of service", he added.

He said insurance for the lives of the private security personnel and the job security were also very poor.

The UPSEG Chairman therefore, called for all players in the industry to support the initiative to improve the standard of living of the employees.

Opanyin Obeng Ofosu, a member of the National Labour Commission urged the employees to develop the courage to join trade unions since they have the legal backing of the Labour Act and the 1992 Constitution on Freedom of Association.

He advised them not to use the trade union as platform to antagonise their employers, but but they should rather use it to create a win-win situation.

Mr. Samuel Mensah, a representative of the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge Fund (BUSAC), sponsoring the advocacy programme said the Fund was supporting the private sector to accelerate economic growth towards attaining the middle-income status.

He expressed the hope that the initiative would enhance the work of private security personnel to enable them support the state security agencies to effectively protect lives and property.