12:00a.m. 21st October 2008

Nightclub bouncers and guards at banks and shopping centres will receive backpay after an investigation into the underpayment of security staff on the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Brisbane.

More than 280 Queensland security workers to be back-paid more than $156,000 after the underpayments were identified when the federal Workplace Ombudsman randomly targeted almost 300 companies.

Workplace Ombudsman executive director Michael Campbell said his office earmarked the security industry for scrutiny following large numbers of complaints.

In 2006-07, complaints in Queensland from the security industry ranked second behind only the retail sector.

Workplace inspectors targeted 293 security companies over six months.

Mr Campbell says they identified 43 suspected breaches of the Workplace Relations Act – almost half relating to rates of pay.

One Brisbane security company has had to back-pay 15 staff $34,000. Another on the Gold Coast has had to back-pay $24,000 to 23 workers, while in the Darling Downs, a company has reimbursed nine employees $25,000.

No specific details were available on Sunshine Coast companies.

“While $156,293 has been reimbursed to 280 workers so far, 16 audits remain to be completed and additional money could still be recovered,” he said.

Mr Campbell said legal action remained a possibility depending on the outcome of remaining investigations, particularly those focussed on sham contracts.

“This is an industry with a large proportion of vulnerable workers, such as young people and migrants, and it is our job to ensure they are being paid their lawful wages and entitlements,” he said.