Saudi Gazette report JEDDAH — Even though they protect private establishments including companies, banks, shopping centers, hospitals and others and represent the right arm of Public Security in the Kingdom, security guards have been denied the benefits of the Saudization program. Talking to local daily Al-Madinah, a number of security guards complained that their salaries are very low and they have no medical insurance, promotions or annual salary increases. They also said their annual and sick leaves are not paid. “Our salaries range from SR1,800 to SR2,200. Even though some of us have more than 10 years' experience, their salaries remain frozen,” a security guard said. The guard, who did not want his name mentioned, called for raising their monthly salaries to at least SR5,000 and to provide them with medical insurance and paid leaves. Abdullah Mohammed, a civil security guard with 10 years' experience, said their salaries are not only low, but they are not benefiting from the labor law that guarantees medical insurance and paid leaves to private sector employees. He said every time they called for their legitimate rights, their employers would ask them to quit if they were not happy because their substitutes were ready. “Many of the establishments we work for are violating the law. They pay low salaries, do not honor the minimum wage and they are exploiting us,” he said. Mohammed called for raising their basic monthly salaries to at least SR4,500 and to give them all the other fringe benefits including medical insurance, housing allowance, transport allowance and paid leave. Abdullah Al-Bishi, another security guard with three years' experience, said his monthly salary is SR3,000 but he has no medical insurance or any other fringe benefits. “I am currently negotiating with my employer to increase my salary, which is far from enough to meet my basic needs, to SR5,000 at least and to give me all the other benefits,” he said. A security guard who identified himself by his initials of H.M. said he spent eight years working as security guard in a private establishment in Jeddah. “My monthly salary of SR2,100 is barely enough to meet my own needs so I have to take part time jobs elsewhere to supplement my income and be able to get married,” he said. He said he was scared to ask for a raise because his employer would not hesitate to sack him as there are many unemployed people who are willing to take the job. He said he is working 18 hours a day to be able to get married. “This will not be possible if don't earn SR5,000 a month, in addition to all the other fringe benefits enjoyed by the private sector employees such as housing allowance, medical insurance and transportation,” he said. Abdullah Al-Sabyani said though he spent about 15 years in this job, his salary remained stagnant at SR3,000 all these years. “I am married with six children and my salary is too little to meet the rising cost of living,” he said. On the other hand, a number of security companies said they were making efforts to increase the salaries of their employees and improve their working conditions. Some of them said their establishments have already started to increase the salaries of their employees to SR4,000. They asked to make the minimum wage of SR4,000 a condition for enabling the security companies to enter into public tenders to provide security services to interested clients. The owners of the security companies also asked the Human Resources Development Fund (Hadaf) to subsidize the salaries they pay to their security guards. Mohammed Bin Faisal Al-Saqr, Chairman of Riada Security Group, said security guards are a great support to Public Security, guarding private establishments, banks, malls, hospitals and others. “Considering its great services, this sector must be developed,” he said. Al-Saqr said the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry has conducted a scientific study on the issue and recommended the monthly salaries of the security guards be raised to SR4,000. “The study also recommended that security guards be referred as “security men” to give them self-confidence and make them part of the country's public security system. He called for the establishment of special training centers to qualify security guards and instill a high sense of responsibility in them. Al-Saqr asked the small and medium-size security establishments to merge into bigger companies to provide better services. Awad Abdul Wahid Al-Dousi, the owner of a security company and member of the security guards' committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), admitted that the sector is replete with loopholes including low pays and said the salaries must be reviewed. “This occupation is an important auxiliary to Public Security, guarding economic establishments, housing compounds, malls, banks and hospitals. Therefore security guards must be fairly paid,” he said. Al-Dousi said they asked Hadaf to subsidize the salaries of security guards for at least five years and called for employing the children of Saudi women married to non-Saudi men in this sector. He asked security companies not to provide services to any private sector establishment that does not accept to pay a salary of SR5,000 to security guards. Deputy Labor Minister Mufaraj Al-Haqbani said the ministry was carrying out a study with Hadaf to promote the sector and increase the salaries of security guards. “The study is covering working hours, days off, fringe benefits and all other aspects to draft a unified work contract for all security guards working for private establishments,” he said. Al-Haqbani warned security companies that do not employ a sufficient number of Saudis to be downgraded in the Nitaqat program.
