Uganda: Guards Petition American Embassy Over Mistreatment
At least 200 security guards protecting various American facilities in and around Kampala have petitioned the embassy protesting what they describe as unfair treatment by their bosses.
The guards were contracted by the American Embassy through a local private security, Armor Group. However, Armor Group recently sold its interests to Group 4 Securicor which currently provides security at US offices and residences in the country -a development vehemently opposed by the guards .Group 4 Securicor runs the contract through the US Defence Systems -Uganda arrangement.
According to the guards, the May 22, 2008 takeover by Group 4 Securicor flouted various clauses that govern their contract under the Federal Acquisition Regulations. “The presumed acceptance of the terms and conditions of services of G4S by the members of the Local Guard Force and the subsequent transfer of our earned fringe benefits amounted to abduction, forced labour and human trafficking which are all forbidden not only by the laws of Uganda but also by other international conventions that govern and protect the rights and dignity of the human person,” reads part of the petition addressed to the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy.
In their petition dated August 6, the guards also accuse their employer of failure to compensate colleagues who sustain injuries while on duty. “Under the Defence Base Act it is a requirement by the employer to provide adequate compensation to the employees but no member of LGF has been compensated for injuries while on duty,” the statement reads.
The American Embassy Assistant Regional Security Officer Mr Daniel Glick declined to comment on the petition but another official at the embassy who requested to remain anonymous because he is not authorised to speak to the media said they had rejected the petition on grounds that the petitioners never followed the proper procedures.
“Under normal circumstances it is the contracted firm (G4S) to petition the embassy so that we can take action but not the employees as it is in their case,” said an official at the Embassy.
The guards also accuse their employers of frustrating their efforts to join a trade union as a way of boosting their bargaining power. “This has led to the Court Martial and subsequent dismissal of the chairman/spokesperson of the guard’s committee (Mr Opige Elyau) who championed the same course,” the petition said.
In a separate interview, Mr Elyau said he was dismissed on allegations that he was inciting the guard force against management. He promised to challenge his dismissal.
August 27th, 2009 at 8:39 AM
Interesting. I wonder if these guys have contacted the Commission on Wartime Contracting or the Inspector General? These to groups would be very interested to learn how the guard force is being treated by said company. Either way, I would hope and expect that a resolution could be met, and that some rash course of action is not taken–like firing all of these individuals and finding some other source of cheap labor.
The customer receiving these guard services has some responsibility too. These men are protecting you with their lives, the honorable thing to do is to step up and listen to what they have to say. The unethical thing to do, is look the other way and hope it just fixes itself. pfft.
August 28th, 2009 at 6:40 AM
Hi Jake,
I agree with Matt. People need to remember that regardless, they still remain guests in the country and therefore have an opportunity to influence the locals either postively or negatively. Failure to recognise this is planning for failure.
Rgds,
Eeben
August 28th, 2009 at 9:07 PM
“In their petition dated August 6, the guards also accuse their employer of failure to compensate colleagues who sustain injuries while on duty. “Under the Defence Base Act it is a requirement by the employer to provide adequate compensation to the employees but no member of LGF has been compensated for injuries while on duty,” the statement reads”.
While I agree with you Gentlemen on the substance of wrong doing on thier new employers part and the US Embassy setting themselves up for a security failure, not all thier claims are accurate, like the statement above.
The DBA requires Federal Overseas contracting companies to carry Workmans Compensation on its contracted employees working on US Bases. Many times in the case of an injury, the company will dispute the injury and not file the claim. It then becomes the employees responsibility to dispute the employers claim, and get his benefits through the help of the US Feds. I dont believe the DBA covers contracted embassy or embassy personnel as they have thier own Insurance, but I might be wrong on that part. The DBA typically only covers US Bases, US Govt contracted personnel and thier surrounding areas. I think this site has more info on that part and should be of some interest to everyone contracting overseas:
http://www.dbacomp.com/
For example if the company was still ArmorGroup, a UK Company, they would most likely had been carrying some type of workmans comp on these employees as required by local or UK Law, but when it changed to a local Ugandan company, the Ugandan company only needs to follow Ugandan employment laws.
Thier ludicrous claims of abduction, forced labour and human trafficking also weakens thier case. They are all local national guards working in thier own country Uganda, how were they abducted and forced to work?
While I can understand they are pissed off to no end, such as the locals we employ here in Africa and other places I have worked, they have every right to be. This is the art of contracting…squeezing every possible penny out of everyone. These local companies such as the Ugandan one is little more than a broker only…. someone who makes money on another person, while doing absolutely nothing. The contract I work here in Africa…AfriCom was forced into this brokering agreement thru the Djiboutian Govt, and there is nothing they can do about it. The Brokers take 2/3 of the locals pay the US pays them. Suxs ass but thats life.
And of course thier new employer would hinder and type of union formation or collective bargaining agreement, its dirty pool but also thier right to do so. Union formation should always be done in secret without the emmployers knowledge.
Instead of pissing off thier company and US Embassy personnel, perhaps they would be better served pooling some of thier money,and getting the best attorney in Uganda and looking more into the US Defence Systems -Uganda arrangement. Either that or stage a labor Strike!
September 9th, 2009 at 12:19 AM
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