Put Upon?

Newbie Joined: Nov 07, 2003 Posts: 6 Location: Canada

[quote="Dave1812"]Thanks for the lesson in Latin. 8)

Can you please translate “Don’t let the b**t**ds grind you down”
:wink:[/quote]

Illegitimus Non Carborun Dum (I.N.C.D.)

Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 8:09 pm

Hi, this is my first post here...

I have been in the game, such as it is, for over 20 years now. I have noticed that the emphasis on providing "Added Value Services" as part of our daily duties has increased greatly over the years...

These duties can manifold themselves in various ways... Sorting the mail, changing the water in the water coolers, performing periodic checks of fire equipment and general housekeeping duties... to name but a few...

What do we see as "our job". Are we just concerned with the security and safety of the staff and premises where we work... Are we seen as part of the team or are we SECURITY, and therefore a seperate entity with strict lines of deployment...

In some cases the latter is appropriate... say in the aviation security arena where deploying an officer to "other duties" could weaken the teams image and integrity. However in most deployments we could be a little bit flexible with the definition of SECURITY and allow the lines to fuzz a little...

For example... I worked for a client that was concerned with track maintenance for London's tube network... By night I supervised a team of six officers who dealt with access control, deliveries, patrolling etc...

The client asked us if we would be able to deal with the collection of operatives laundry, which was done by a contractor and returned to the building out of hours...

Some of the workforce was totally opposed to this as it wasn't "our job". Others weren't bothered... With a little flexibility we facilitated the request... It entailed one pick-up a week... I ensured that collection points were installed on each floor... A kind of locker with a post slot at the top... This ensured no contact was made with soiled items...

The whole operation took 30 minutes every Tuesday night... No real bother... and the client was over the moon... Our reputation was enhanced and shortly after our company wa able to negotiate a small wage increase...

I feel that we should be looking for ways to enhance the service we provide... the days of the night watchman are long gone... we should be facilitators... key members of the team... and that means being flexible...

Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 9:05 am

Evilclown
can you define flexible I feel that the more flexible you arein this job the more that you are put upon . Ihave just left my job in front of house security for a major london investment bank due to the Security Manager
asking us to be more flexible as the more flexible the Security Team was the more that we got asked to do and we could not do the Security Duties that we were paid to do I am employed as A SECURITY OFFICER not a Post man not a Paper Boy not an admin assistant . but a Security Officer
and we were being treated like shit on some ones shoe. we had a meeting and we were told very bluntly if we do not like it we can go and find other fucking jobs that was from the security manager at the start of the meeting before any body said anything.so I said I am sorry but none of these extra jobs are on my job description I was told by the security manager to shut the fuck up and fromnowon he wold tell every one what jobs they were to do and if we did not likeit we could fuckoff and go some where else. and the Security company company director was at this meeting and did not say a word about the abuse that the security team took that day I am in the process of taking the manager and security company to an industrial tribunal for constructive dissmissal I have been with them for 6 years now
Regards
Bigyin

Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 7:27 pm

Things appear to be going from bad to worse and it's a crying shame.
Biggy - good on you mate. It needs a few more to stand up and be counted.
I'm just glad you are taking action in the correct manner and I applaud your restraint in not tearing the guys head off.

Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2006 7:51 am

Flexible = Responsive to change.
It sounds as though you have had a bad run of it at whatever client you were working for...
I have met my share of tartars in my time, fewer these days though... May I enquire... this investment bank... Their name didn't start with M, and end with y did it???
If the Security Manager was deploying you to duties that then hampered your ability to provide security for the building and staff then he is a fool...
However, in the event of an incident occuring as a result of his deployment of resources, he is the one accountable... As long as the tasks he has requested you to carry out were negotiated through your company and documented in your Assignment Instructions and noted in you Daily Occurence.Book...
How many officers were deployed at your assignment...
Is it possible that part of the security team could be utilised in "other duties" at certain times of the day without the whole operation falling flat on its face?...
If your concern is because the security and safety of the building and its occupants was put at risk in some way then good on you...
If your objection is because you just don't want to do the mail, admin duties or whatever other tasks are asked of you then I guess you're on a loser... (Contd below)...

Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2006 8:01 am

I am interested to know the grounds for a constructive dismissal case...
The problem you may encounter with this is that you are not directly employed by the investment bank...
Was this Security Manager employed by the bank or the Security company? Is your issue wih your company or the client?
The problem with clients is they call the tune and invariably pay the piper... If a client is unhappy with your performance, demeanour, presentation, time-keeping etc, etc then unfortunately he doesn't have to retain your services...
His language and attitude left a lot to be desired, but your only recourse is to walk away...
If you feel that your company failed in some way to protect you from some danger or prejudice, real or perceived, then you may have a case against them...
The company is probably aware of the extra duties you have been asked to carry out, and is more than happy for you to do them to keep the client happy...
More security jobs are now advertised with the words, "any other reasonable duties as directed by the client, manager, supervisor, Jack the tea boy..." added on the end...
Adaptable - Responsive to change - Working outside the box - Team player...

Question... Can't some extra duties make our job more interesting and fulfilling...???

Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2006 7:48 am

Hi Corsec and Evilclown62uk
Corsec
I consider my self a professional and I would not lower myself to this idiots level yes I admit I wanted to take him apart for the way he spoke to me and the rest of the team but that would defeat the object as I would lose my licence and probably end up with a custodial sentance and also lose everything else I have worked hard for ie my Firearms Licence etc

Evilclown62uk
I am quite agreeable to perform extra duties for the client but not at the expense of letting security lapse in this age of heightend security alert states there were 6 people on the team 4 male security officers and 2 Female Security Receptionists there was 1 security officer outside scanning visitors bags/packages 1 security officer in the loading bay searching vehicles and taking deliveries in to the building and putting them through an explosives detector 1 security officer in reception with the 2 female security receptionists and 1 security officer doing internal /external patrols. to date we have had 4 suspect packages found ouside the building and 2 suspect packages delivered via the mail /or deliveries. so you please tell me which is more important the security integrity of the building and protecting the staff and visitors we have also had 5 attempted burglaries of the premises in the past 3 months and an attempted rape in the isolated car park and 2 assaults of staff outside the building or filling
printers with paper I know what I would say. the security manager was employed by the client . who did not know he was treating the security staff the way he was . the clients global security director was on holiday at the time of this incident and he called me yesterday to get my events of what happenend by the way anytime I got an instruction from the security manager to do something that was not security related it went into the dob and my security notebook dates times places the instruction (word for word) that the security manager had given us at the moment there is 2 actions being taken 1 against the clients security manager for bullying and harrassment and 1 against my old security company concerning health and safety and lack of training (to the sia standard)
and also bullying and harrassment . as the contract security director did not inform the security company of any changes to the contract the contract was not changed to reflect these new duties nor were our personnal contracts with the security company. so we could not perform our security duties to the required standard.
and also he was at the meeting we had and did not intervene to tell the clients security manager whoa sorry that is not part of the contract if you would like this to be added to the security duties we will have to amend the security contract at the security company office and the company health and safety officers will have to conduct a risk assessment etc
your veiws please
Bigyin

Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2006 8:43 am

I obviously feel that security of the building and its occupants is far more important than filling the photocopier...

In light of the incidents that you mention, assaults / suspect packages / burglaries and rape, I am suprised that your compliment hasn't been increased rather than deployed to meaningless tasks...

This sadly is the world that we work in... Very often the clients security manager has not served any time within the industry as an operative...
Security is usually bundled onto a hapless facilities manager with neither the specialist knowledge to understand our role, or deploy us sensibly...

If you call a plumber to fix a leak you don't presume to tell him how to fix it...
Why then do companies employ the services of a security company, then pay scant attention to the input from their operatives... We're not cheap either...

Until clients start to regard us as an asset instead of an expense this culture will not change...

I have been quite lucky in my deployments over the years... most of my clients have been receptive to input from their operatives... That there are still those that aren't is unsuprising but still disappointing.

Hope your case goes well... but get back in there, these things can take years...