Accelerating the Security Services Act

Minister of the Interior has missed the starting signal

There are many suggestions for improvement for the private security industry. For years, the vida trade union has been calling for a uniform background check, clear training standards and binding specifications for the award of contracts. According to the government program, this and more should finally get up and running in the form of a security service provider law. But Interior Minister Karner is likely to have missed the starting signal.

Transparent and uniform background check

When security companies take on new employees, they must go through a so-called background check. This takes different lengths of time depending on the federal state – months can pass before a result is available. Those who are rejected usually do not even find out the reason for it. In some cases, even traffic fines led to the withdrawal of reliability. "A proliferation of regionally different regulations has established itself here, which is highly opaque for the employees," criticizes Gernot Kopp, Chairman of the Facility Management Department at vida.

The fact that colleagues are deployed before a background check has even taken place is legally inadmissible, but it is still common practice. "People work at major events who have not been checked to see whether they might pose a danger," Kopp explains. "How can you guarantee security like that?" This approach is also unacceptable from the employees' point of view: While they are still waiting for their verification results, they remain uncertain whether they will be able to keep their job – or lose it immediately if the decision is negative. Legally, there is then no way for them to take action against the loss of their job.

Guarding needs training

Since security companies often recruit in a fast-track process, many employees only receive superficial training before they are on duty. There are no clear legal regulations for their training. "We are talking about people who take responsibility, protect others and have to react professionally in an emergency. You don't learn that in one day," emphasizes vida trade unionist Kopp. There is therefore a need for uniform vocational training, a binding obligation to train and fixed quality standards for all those who work in the security sector. "The mandatory training should include a personality test. And content such as first aid, fire protection, de-escalation must be refreshed regularly," Kopp adds.

Requirements for awarding contracts urgently needed

Another weakness in the system of the private security industry is the often non-transparent awarding of contracts. Companies often pass on orders they receive to subcontractors – sometimes without clear traceability as to who actually provides which service in the end. The lack of accountability makes it difficult to take action against poor working conditions, wage dumping or security gaps.

Many companies keep the number of employees to a minimum because they want to save costs and maximize profits. However, in order to absorb short-term peaks and absences, a financed pool of employees is needed that can be called upon if necessary. This would prevent overtired or untrained personnel from being deployed.

Security Services Act immediately

"A lack of standards in training and quality, a lack of transparency and too little personnel protection - that's a dangerous mix. And the causes of this are systemic," Gernot Kopp summarizes. The trade union vida had to learn through its many years of commitment: The implementation of a uniform security service provider law is a marathon. But in order to ensure safety at major events such as the Vienna City Marathon, a sprint would be urgently needed by Interior Minister Karner. "In the interests of the employees and the population, we can only hope that he will soon make it to the finish line," said vida trade unionist Kopp.