Olympic security plans thrown into disarray only two weeks before games begin

CanadaSue · 07-14-2012, 10:33 PM

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/ar...re-games-begin

At best, this is an embarassing, colossal cockup. At worst - a potential nightmare.

Potemkin · 07-14-2012, 10:52 PM

What the hell.

They are hiring for G4S and pulling from the population that wants temporary work.

You aren't going to get former SAS/SBS for that job.

CanadaSue · 07-14-2012, 11:11 PM

No, you certainly are not going to get the type of people you want. This was poorly thought through; unrealistic planning at best.

Wonder what they're paying for these positions?

BuilderBob · 07-15-2012, 03:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CanadaSue

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/ar...re-games-begin

At best, this is an embarassing, colossal cockup. At worst - a potential nightmare.

ABSOLUTELY!!! The hosting for the games in the UK was agreed to by the ex-prime minister Tony Blair even though the UK was in an unsound financial condition. The next prime minister, Gordon Brown, did not prioritise any planning for the forthcoming event.

The current prime minister, David Cameron, has a penchant for appointing wimps or ex-labour advisors to lead the various quangos charged with preparing the the selected olympic sites.

The chaotic organisation will probably be more interesting to watch than the actual olympic events.

rb. · 07-15-2012, 12:24 PM

Isn't this the same company that just had one of it's armoured car guards shoot and kill three of his co-workers on the job in Alberta?

CanadaSue · 07-15-2012, 02:54 PM

I'll be damned rb - you're right:

***Police had already said Baumgartner was on a crew from G4S Security that was restocking a bank machine at the university’s HUB Mall overnight.***

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/06...ee-co-workers/

Brihard · 07-15-2012, 10:07 PM

My ex is working as an athlete wrangler for the games... I'll have to ask if she's got any inside view of the practical ramifications of this.

CanadaSue · 07-15-2012, 10:10 PM

Security lapses before London Olympics spark fresh scrutiny

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...rticle4417584/

ukmum · 07-16-2012, 03:30 AM

Its an embarrisment to be sure, but all our venues are built and tested, time will tell iif this causes minor or major problems.

Auburn Boy · 07-16-2012, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brihard

My ex is working as an athlete wrangler for the games... I'll have to ask if she's got any inside view of the practical ramifications of this.

Athlete wrangler?

Isn't that sort of like "herding cats?"

CanadaSue · 07-16-2012, 11:10 AM

I think essentially that's what she'll be doing - making sure athletes get where they're supposed to be - on time. Think of a babysitter for overwrought, sweating race horses... but horses who can talk...LOL

vince08 · 07-19-2012, 08:07 AM

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-18898646

The organisers of London 2012 encouraged G4S to keep wages for security staff as low as possible.

Security guards have been offered £8.50 an hour to work at the Olympic venues.

It is below the market rate of about £10 an hour, which the government and Locog said publicly should be paid so enough staff were recruited in time.

G4S was "incentivised" in the contract - renegotiated and enhanced in December - to keep a lid on labour costs, meaning higher profits if it paid less.

The chairman of the Public Accounts Committee Margaret Hodge MP said it raised "serious questions" about Locog's management of the contract.

A spokesman for Locog said: "The combined pay and retention rate starts at over £9 per hour.

"The more senior [the] role, the higher the rate."

G4S was unavailable to comment.

Potemkin · 07-19-2012, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vince08

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-18898646

The organisers of London 2012 encouraged G4S to keep wages for security staff as low as possible.

Security guards have been offered £8.50 an hour to work at the Olympic venues.

For £8.50 (about US$13.30 or €10.80 ) you aren't going to get retired senior Metropolitan Police, or former SAS/SBS.

Sure, there are some sharp people who would want that for 2 weeks of work but can you get 10k of them in London? They started hiring 2-3 months ago to positive vet these people.

Who is going to do all of that intrusive positive vetting 2-3 months in advance for 2 weeks of work?

Here is what I wonder, for £8.50 for 80 hours of work, how close is that to someone there who is on Assistance, council housing, etc?

IOW words do they make more sitting on their duff?

ukmum · 07-19-2012, 11:43 AM

£6.08 is the mimimum wage in the UK, £8.50-£9 is an OK hourly rate. Similar to London restaurant work hrly rates.

I suspect that had the rate ben higher then yes they would have got more people but also they seem to have not put the effort in to getting the staff committed in the first place.

Kassy · 07-19-2012, 02:51 PM

Yeah i wonder about that part of the project. If you know you're going to hire & train more people in a short time on a bigger scale then you ever did before there should be a plan?

If it was there it failed.

doc_jake · 08-01-2012, 04:56 PM

Getting the staff wasn’t the problem. Both myself and a close friend applied for jobs with G4S for the Olympics last November.

Chris is ex Royal Engineers (NI search trained) then 20 years in the prison service with a medical retirement last autumn due to a knee injury. I have nearly 30 years security experance (both government and private).

We both completed the G4S training in March, passed the interviews and background checks and fitted for uniform in end of May. We are both still waiting to hear if they want us. Every time we phoned they told us everything was in order and we would get joining instructions imminently

While £8 / hour is not brilliant money, I get a fair bit more for running teams at events, it is the going rate for “staging on”.