G4S SECURITY: THE INEQUALITY BENEATH INDIA'S ECONOMIC BOOM

By: Volker Eick

In India 5,500 private security workers have been successful in fighting against their bosses. A court ruled that the workers are protected against loosing their jobs while fighting for their overtime premiums. We are providing you with a 2008 report by "Uni Property Services G4S Alliance" on the living and working conditions in India's private security environment.

G4S Security Worker in India

As India’s wealth increases, the gap between rich and poor is also on the rise. According to the Hindustan Times, the five million private security personnel in India today outnumber the army, navy, air force, police and the Central Bureau of Investigation put together. The industry generates a million new jobs a year. Security guards working for G4S - one of the largest private sector employers in India - are among those at the bottom of the income scale. These workers barely eke out a living while their UK-based multinational employer - the second largest in the world - earns hundreds of millions in profits. The court decision is just a first step to protect the security workers' rights.