Ontario security guard shortage threatens public’s health and safety, says UFCW 333

Richmond Hill, Ont. – April 30, 2020 – UFCW Local 333, the leading union for security guards in Ontario, is calling on Premier Doug Ford to remedy the critical shortage of security guards in the province in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In an open letter sent to the premier on Monday, UFCW 333 outlined how the shortage is “an urgent matter that threatens the public’s health and safety, and the efforts to maintain social distancing in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The shortage has been amplified by the temporary closure of provincial government offices.

“While there are thousands of ready and capable Ontarians who could be trained and licensed to meet the need (for security guards), the current state of emergency has shuttered guard testing, licensing, and renewal offices. An alternative system is urgently needed,” the union writes.

To read the full text of UFCW Local 333’s open letter to Ontario Premier Doug Ford, click here.

UFCW Canada Local 333 is a private-sector local union representing more than 10,000 members throughout Ontario. Local 333 members work in almost every sector of the hospitality and security sectors across the province – from Windsor to Ottawa, to Thunder Bay, to the shores of Lakes Ontario and Erie.

To learn more about UFCW 333 and its outstanding work, visit the Local Union’s website.