Across workplaces and industries, frontline workers are being asked to shoulder increasing demands—longer hours, heavier workloads, and heightened risk—amid ongoing cost‑containment and margin‑driven strategies pursued by corporate boards. Few decisions, however, reveal the tension between commercial priorities and worker safety as starkly as NGM Group’s recent consideration of withdrawing security guards from its customer‑facing branches.

Security guards are not merely an “additional service”; they function as a visible deterrent, a first line of response during critical incidents, and a vital source of protection in situations that can escalate more rapidly than reliance on police intervention alone.

However, internal discussions and submissions presented to the union indicate that NGM Group executives are considering the removal of security roles as a cost‑saving measure—an approach that effectively subordinates worker safety to profit considerations.

🛡️ Security is Not a Luxury — It’s a Necessity

For staff working at NGM branch locations, the presence of trained security personnel is a reassurance — particularly in high-risk interactions involving distressed members, disputes over accounts, or late-night transactions.

Without guards:

  • Service staff become the first and only line of defence in confrontational situations.
  • Response times to threats slow dramatically. A phone call to emergency services isn’t the same as having someone on site with the training to defuse risk.
  • Workers feel expendable, not protected.

Union members have shared firsthand accounts underscoring the critical role security plays in the workplace—from verbal abuse and threats to incidents that escalated to dangerous levels before assistance arrived. Frontline workers are there to serve their communities, not to be left to manage violent or aggressive confrontations without adequate protection.

📉 A Cost Saving that Costs Too Much

NGM Group argues the move is part of broader efficiency measures. But when the price of efficiency is employee wellbeing and safety, we have to ask: efficiency for whom?

The union doesn’t dispute the need for financial sustainability — but long-term sustainability must include:

  • Staff safety and wellbeing
  • Workplace morale
  • Risk management
  • Community trust

Cutting security on the assumption that “nothing will go wrong” is a gamble with real human consequences. It puts dollars ahead of duty of care.

📣 Union Action: Safety First, Always

Our union has responded with a clear message to NGM Group leadership:

👉 Do not remove security personnel from branches.

👉 Engage with staff and union representatives on safety planning.

We have tabled claims and are ready to escalate through industrial channels if NGM Group insists on the current course. Workers deserve workplaces where they feel safe — and where their employer recognises that safety is not merely a line item in a ledger.

💬 Voices from the Branch

“Some days I come home shaken,” one branch employee shared. “We handle upset customers every day. Security guards make a huge difference — not just in emergencies, but even in preventing them.”

This sentiment resonates across teams. Workers don’t want to be left alone in volatile situations. They want their employer to stand with them — not behind cost-cutting.

✊ What We Are Fighting For

The union is advocating for:

  • A formal safety review conducted with worker input
  • Retention or expansion of security resources
  • Clear escalation procedures and support for frontline staff
  • Training and de-escalation programs that go beyond lip service

When it comes to safety, shortcuts are not an option. Workers deserve protections that are real, reliable, and responsive to the risks they face every day.