Nightclubs face chaos and disorder as door staff licence cliff edge looms

Posted by GMB Admin
Wednesday 21 July 2021
GMB Trade Union - Nightclubs face chaos and disorder as door staff licence cliff edge looms

Covid-19 certificates for nightclub entry useless as a chocolate fireguard if there are no door staff left to enforce them

Covid-19 certificates for nightclub entry useless as a chocolate fireguard if there are no door staff left to enforce them

GMB, the union for security workers, says if a training cliff edge for security licences is not relaxed it could ruin the Prime Minister’s nightclub covid passports plan. 

From October 1, door supervisors and security guards must have completed additional top-up training to renew their licence to carry out their work.

This includes additional classroom training that many of the current workforce have been unable to complete because of the pandemic and additional costs put on workers.  

GMB is calling for the Home Office and Security Industry Authority to release its impact assessment of the upcoming changes to the SIA licencing scheme on the workforce, a relaxation of deadline so that door supervisor and security guards have additional time to complete the training and more support for the workers to cover costs of the additional training. 

Nadine houghton, gmb national officer, said: 

“Covid-19 passports will be as useless as a chocolate fireguard if there are no licenced door and security staff left to enforce them. 

"The SIA and Home Office are pressing ahead with changes to security licences that leave the whole workforce facing a cliff edge. 

“The sector is already facing massive recruitment challenges. Now door staff are being expected to stump up - and find the time for – additional training in the middle of a pandemic, or face losing their livelihoods. It’s ridiculous. 

“This deadline needs to be shifted and the workforce supported, otherwise we will see chaos and disorder at our late-night clubs and venues and no trained security to ensure partygoers and the public are kept safe.” 

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