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GMB To Stage Protest Demonstration At Oval Demonstrating Against 'Rip - Off' Security Company Stewarding The 5th Test

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Date / 7th September 2005

GMB has organised a protest demonstration at The Oval cricket ground on the first day of the final Ashes test, on Thursday 8th September 2005. The protest is against the mistreatment of security staff working at The Oval, by their employers Recruit Event Services Plc.

The demonstration will be held at

10.30 am THURSDAY

8TH SEPTEMBER 2005

At the entrance to Surrey County Cricket Club main pavilion

The Oval Cricket Ground

Junction of Kennington Oval/Harleyford Street

Kennington

London

SE11 5SS

Attending the demonstration will be senior officials of the union and other GMB members who will be attending the test match.

Recruit Event Services Plc is based in London. It supplies security guards and stewards to Britain’s top stadiums and venues, such as: Arsenal’s Highbury Stadium, Tottenham’s White Hart Lane, Watford’s Vicarage Road, Luton’s Kenilworth Road, Lords Cricket Ground, Trent Bridge in Nottingham, Edgbaston in Birmingham, The Oval, The Rose Bowl in Southampton, Wembley Arena, Goodwood Race Course, Aintree Race Course, Cheltenham Race Course, Wentworth Golf Club, Twickenham Rugby Ground, Woburn Golf Club, Chelmsford Cricket Ground, Hampton Court, Windsor Great Park, and many more.

GMB has accused Recruit Event Services Plc, who employs security staff in the top stadia and sports venues in England, of short changing their staff by:

Requiring them to attend the venue 2 hours before gates open on match day with no guarantee of employment and no payment for this waiting time.
Sending them home without payment if they are not employed. The company often deliberately over-staffs and it is reported that at every event at least 10 workers are sent home, usually without reimbursement of either travelling time or travel expenses.
· Dismissing them some hours into the contract without payment for trivial matters, with no appeals. Employees said they were told to go home half way through shifts because they had scuffed shoes, the wrong length trousers or too many pockets.

Bullying and harassing staff. Any employees who question their working practices are offered less or no work. Many workers can not afford to lose their jobs with the company as it is their only employment.
Martin Smith, GMB Senior Organiser, said: “GMB organise the major companies in the UK security industry and we have never seen this level of serial abuse before. The bullying and harassment of part-time and often casual workers, who are not being paid for the most fictitious of reasons, is unforgivable. GMB is recruiting members fast in this company. Some of Britain’s most prestigious stadia could find themselves embroiled in a major dispute before long if these practices are not stopped.”

End

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