Response officers employed by the King Alarm Security Company staged a protest at the company’s Kingston office on Monday, June 17, demanding better wages.

The officers lined up outside the company’s office this morning with placards. Among their calls were for a 30 per cent increase in their current wage, insurance, and proper vehicles to carry out their duties.

The officers say they were employed as response officers, but are required by management to do courier pickup. There have also been reports of response officers who decline to carry out courier pickup duties being sent home. 

Delano Virgo, senior operations manager at King Alarm, while speaking to the media said he was surprised by the action of the response officers.

He noted that: “Effective June 1, the wages went up; prior to June 1, without the increase, none of them would have been without; the company took a decision to increase their wages effective June 1, and the increases ranged from 10 per cent to a high of 42. per cent.”

Responding to claims surrounding the use of soft-skinned vehicles to execute courier pickups, Virgo said a majority of its courier assignments are executed by utilizing armored vehicles. 

He said the company is prepared to meet with the response officers to see how best the matter can be resolved.