Why Assaulting a Security Officer Must Be Recognised as a Standalone Criminal Offence

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Why Assaulting a Security Officer Must Be Recognised as a Standalone Criminal Offence

Security officers across the UK routinely face abuse, threats and physical violence simply for doing their jobs. They are often the first to respond to incidents, the first to intervene, and the first line of protection for the public, staff and property. Yet despite this reality, assaults against security officers are still treated under general assault legislation, with no specific legal recognition of the risks they face.This is why the S12 Security Guarding Leadership Group has launched a petition calling for assaulting a security officer to be made a standalone criminal offence – and why G36 Security Branch is proud to support this important campaign.

At present, the law fails to reflect the role security officers play in managing risk, preventing harm and maintaining safety in public and private spaces. Attacks are too often minimised, under-charged, or dismissed as part of the job. This lack of recognition weakens deterrence and sends the wrong message — that violence against security officers is somehow acceptable.

Security officers deserve the same legal recognition and protection afforded to other frontline roles. They are operating in increasingly challenging environments, frequently dealing with volatile and high-risk situations, and often acting before emergency services arrive. A standalone offence would acknowledge this reality, strengthen accountability, and help drive a culture of zero tolerance towards abuse and violence.

This petition is not about special treatment. It is about closing a clear gap in the law and ensuring that those who are tasked with protecting others are properly protected themselves.

If the petition reaches 10,000 signatures, the Government must respond. At 100,000 signatures, the issue can be considered for debate in Parliament. Achieving those thresholds matters, because legislative change does not happen without public pressure.

If you believe violence against security officers is unacceptable, now is the time to act.

Sign and share the petition:
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/750121

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Loomis 2024 Pay Claim

October 2023

GMB MEMBER COST OF LIVING SURVEY REPLIES

Dear GMB member,

Thank you to everyone who completed our 2023/24 cost of living survey, the results of which will be used to develop our contribution to the 2024 Joint Trade Union pay claim.

What came through loud and clear was that members were being severely impacted by the cost of living crisis this past two years. Overwhelmingly members reported being at least £60, but in most cases £80 worse off a month, which is a significant amount for any worker.

Again when asked about an increase, members were clear that they didn’t want to go backwards again, so are looking for that an increase matched to the cost of living was crucial. We also don’t want to fall behind G4S Cash, and so far we are given they secured an 8.5% pay rise last year.

Therefore we’re proposing that similar to G4S Cash the RPI inflation rate for October is the 2024 award, which also reflects the fact that inflation has remained stubbornly high this past year despite almost all projections last year suggesting it would be significantly lower throughout 2023.

Members also indicated that they wanted to see improvements on:

• rates of overtime @ 1.5 per hour;
• increased holiday entitlement by 2 days and
• rates of bank holiday premium @ 2.0 per hour.

In advance of the pay talks we have also submitted a request for information on the Company financial performance in order to challenge any issues regarding the ‘affordability’ of both your claim and any Company counter-offer. We will keep members updated as talks progress.

Please share this bulletin and encourage any non-members to join www.gmb.org.uk/join-gmb

Yours in solidarity,

GMB NNC GMB National Officer

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Loomis Bulletin July 2023

PENSION PROPOSALS – MEMBER FEEDBACK

Dear members,

Thank you to everyone who has given their feedback to GMB Reps and Officers regarding the Company’s proposed pension changes.

The Joint Trade Unions have held an initial NNC meeting with the Company where your Reps strongly and passionately fed back the views of members following the site visits.

The Reps made it clear to the Company that there was widespread anger on how the proposals would impact on some of the Company’s most long-serving staff.

Many members were angry that after everything members and the Company had been through in recent years that they felt their loyalty was being tossed aside.

They felt that the changes were unnecessary, especially given that the fairly limited savings that it represented, with many saying that this could lead to long-serving staff leaving the Company.

Many members also felt that the Company was taking with ‘one hand’ so that it could fund the next pay offer, which we believe could result in anger being directed at the next pay talks.

We have pressed them to withdraw their proposals because they are unnecessary, impact on long serving staff and won’t actually result in any significant savings.

We have a further meeting scheduled later this month to pick up the talks further.

We will update members following that meeting.

Yours in union

GMB NNC Reps Eamon O’Hearn – National Officer

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