Security guards' union dissatisfied at finding

The outcome of an investigation into an incident that led to a Dunedin-based security firm being accused of rorting the system is an industry cover-up, a union representing security guards says.

A month-long industry-led investigation of Allied Security has found the incident, in which a company manager emailed suggested answers to staff completing a training assessment, was an isolated one.

The Unite union says it will be writing to the Minister of Tertiary Education about its concerns that the industry-run national training programme for security staff remains open to abuse from security firms.

In April, Unite accused Allied Security of providing its employees suggested answers to assessments so trainees could pass NZQA-qualifications, for which the firm could then claim subsidies.

The accusation was made after an Allied Security employee sent the union the company manager's email.

After a month-long investigation, the Electrotechnology Industry Training Organisation (ETITO), an incorporated society that oversees training and assessment for the security industry, said the investigation by independent industry representatives found the incident was isolated and there was no evidence the practice was more widespread within Allied Security, or the industry.

Spokesman Michael Frampton refused to say who was interviewed during the investigation and declined a request for a copy of the investigation report.

As a result of the investigation, ETITO wrote to all security firms engaged in national training programmes reminding them of their obligations.

It was also considering other measures, including prominently labelling assessor guides as being for assessors only and more prominently displaying disclaimer statements on training literature.

The seven Allied Security staff who were being assessed at the time the email was sent would be reassessed by another assessor, appointed by the ETITO, he said.

There would not be any sweeping changes to the way assessments were done, Mr Frampton said.

"We are not prepared to consider remedies that are, in our view, disproportionate to the problem."

Allied Security managing director Damian Black said the investigation "pretty clearly" vindicated Allied Security with regards to the allegation of a financial rort.

Asked how such an email could be sent to employees, he said it was the first year the company had taken part in the training programme and his manager was unaware he was doing something wrong.

"So, it was picked up during the learning phase.

It was not something that had been going on for some time."

Mr Black was copied the February 19 email, but said he had not seen it before the matter came to his attention in April.

He said he immediately notified the ETITO about it, which prompted the investigation.

Unite security sector organiser Barry Sutherland said the union had expected the investigation to conclude the incident was a one-off.

But it was still concerned the training system was open to abuse by security firms.

The union, which represented 600 people working in the security industry, would write to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Steven Joyce, expressing its concerns.

It would also encourage its members not to do ETITO courses.

"We don't see the point in doing something they are not learning anything from."

Mr Frampton said ETITO had not been made aware of the union's concerns, but felt the best place for security staff to get training was in the workplace.

ETITO was confident its investigation had been robust, and the steps it was taking in response were going further than needed, he said.

debbie.porteous@odt.co.nz