Fazul Mohamed, the head of the Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA), has appointed a team to audit the Central Organization of Trade Union (COTU) security guards’ remittances over the past three years.
In a letter addressed to all managing directors of private security companies, Fazul directed companies to submit private security officers’ trade union fees deductions and remittances made to COTU over the last 36 months, along with all financial correspondences between the companies and COTU regarding these deductions and remittances.
Fazul emphasized that despite private security companies consistently deducting trade union fees from security guards and remitting the contributions to COTU, the union has neglected its responsibility to advocate for the rights of private security guards in the country.
“For years, private security companies have consistently deducted trade union fees from private security guards and subsequently remitted the said contributions to COTU,” he stated.
“Despite their significant financial contribution, COTU has not fulfilled its mandate and has persistently disregarded, declined, and/or neglected to advocate for the rights, compliance with minimum wage, and promote the general welfare,” he added.
Fazul urged companies to submit the required documents within the next three days to the team lead auditors, Phillip Okello and Clinton Ingulula. Failure to comply will result in a statutory review of the companies’ registration and licensing status.
Furthermore, security companies have been instructed to immediately cease deducting and remitting private security officers’ trade union fees until the investigations are completed.
“Therefore, pending the conclusion of the investigations, you are under strict regulatory instructions to immediately stop deducting and remitting private security officers’ trade union fees to COTU,” he stated.
