Guard’s shocking post: “I tried really hard to get sacked from the Games Security.....and failed.”

A SECURITY guard has lifted the lid on the farcical disorganisation behind the scenes at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in a public post on Facebook.

A SECURITY guard has lifted the lid on the farcical disorganisation behind the scenes at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in a public post on Facebook.

In a comical account of his day on the job on Wednesday, Games security guard Kerry Crossingham says it’s pretty much impossible to get the sack.

“I tried really hard to get sacked from the Commonwealth Games Security.....and failed,” he wrote on Facebook.

Crossingham says while guards have been sacked for ordering pizzas and Uber Eats deliveries to their posts at the Athletes Village, he ended up with extra shifts — not the sack — when he walked off the job on Wednesday.

Crossingham says the security workforce has been stretched to its limits after 500 security officers were sent back to Victoria and NSW without being replaced.

He claims guards are left on their posts for hours after their 12-hour shifts end — often without food or water — as replacements fail to arrive.

A GOLDOC spokesman said security had been “functioning well” at all venues.

“We have the required number of contract security guards needed for Games time security,” the spokesman said.

“There is a combined security workforce of approximately 10,000 people ensuring a safe and secure environment for the Games. Security has been functioning well at venues.”

Commonwealth Games security guards received emails last week telling them training had been cancelled and ‘system errors’ had lead to rostering and accreditation mistakes. Photo: Supplied

However, Crossingham’s post paints a different picture.

“Here’s what happened,” it says.

“Some idiot, or idiots, have sent about 500 security officers back to Victoria and NSW and didn’t replace them

“Yesterday morning (Wednesday) I arrive for my 12 hour shift at 7am to find there are bugger all incoming guards to replace the staff going home.......hmmmm. Some of these staff didn’t get replaced up to 2 or 3 hours late. Over the two way radio I heard one guard get threatened by a supervisor that if he walked off his post he wouldn’t get paid at all. (How to start a mass walkout in 5 seconds, volume 2).

SECURITY GUARD BLOWS WHISTLE ON COMM GAMES TREATMENT

Security guards meet at Carrara Stadium ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony. Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty Images.

“I was due to finish my shift at 7pm. What I usually do is save my half-hour meal break until 30 minutes before I finish and then go home so this means a 6.30pm finish. Ha, like that was going to happen.

“Now keep in mind guards have been sacked for ordering pizzas to be delivered and Uber Eats to their posts at the Athletics Village.

“I, surprisingly, wait until 8.45pm and then call my supervisor on the radio. The call went something like this.

“My radio battery indicator has just gone red but before it dies I wanted to remind you I’m still here so can you send me down a pillow and a couple of blankets”.

“In his reply I detected a bit of a giggle as he knew I was taking the piss out of the hierarchy.

He said he would try and find the items so then I couldn’t help myself I then said, over the radio for everyone to hear “has consideration been given yet to relaxing the pizza delivery rules so I can get some food”

Security guard Kerry Crossingham’s public post about his day on the job at the Commonwealth Games on Wednesday. Source: Facebook.

UNTRAINED GUARDS PUT GOLDDOC IN SHAMBLES

“He replied no. (I think this time I detect a bit of panic in his voice). Remember, I was nearly 2 hours past my finish time, hadn’t been fed and had no idea what time I was going home.

Radio is quiet for about 30 seconds when some senior supervisor wanted to know who made the call about pizza, so I told him. He sounded surprised so he confirmed that it was me and I said yes again. He wanted to know where I was, so I told that as well. Then he made his big mistake, he was coming to see me.

“When I replied over the radio that I was looking forward to it he missed the warning signs. (He doesn’t know me at all, silly man). Five minutes later this supervisor rocks up so I confirmed who he was by asking his name and then asked him if he had a problem. He told me I was unprofessional (like that hurts my feelings) by commenting over the two way for everyone to hear about ordering pizza. My response was short, sweet and brutal.

“My comments were a lot less unprofessional than leaving Guards on their posts for hours after their 12 hour shift has finished, less unprofessional as failing to feed your guards and a lot unprofessional than the effing idiot who sent guards back interstate and failed to replace them. Here’s your effing two way radio and you’re now completing my shift. I walked off.

“On the way to sign off I saw my immediate supervisor, and with a big grin on my face told him I enjoyed working with him, was about to formally get sacked but didn’t care anyway as I was quitting and not completing my last 3 shifts and then shook his hand. I returned to the sign off area to leave.

Queensland police at a security check point outside Gold Coast Convention Centre ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Games on April 4. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images.

“Well stuff me, this little bloke (supervisor) had found a replacement for my post in about 30 seconds and then nearly beat me back to the sign off hut. I got paid my 2 hours overtime PLUS a half-hour for my meal and asked to reconsider my resignation as they didn’t have enough staff. He also said in a type of apology that it wasn’t his idea to say anything to me but it was HIS boss so I said you should have bought your boss with you so I could speak to him as well. Anyway, I still have a 12 hour shift tonight, tomorrow night and Saturday night but when I finally got home here’s an email asking me to work Sunday night as well.

Security companies scrambled to fill jobs for the Commonwealth Games just days out from the event kicking off, with advertisements from multiple security companies seeking guards for the Games including one promising to fly guards from Perth to the Gold Coast on April 3 — the day before the Opening Ceremony.

“So now I have 4 more shifts. How the bloody hell do I get sacked from this job???

“I’m supposed to be on holidays from my real employment and resting. Let’s see what mischief I can get up to tonight.....lol. I might call in every hour and tell them what colour my urine is so they can see I’m keeping myself well hydrated as some of these supervisors can’t even organise bottled water to be regularly delivered.

“Now that’s really ‘taking the piss’ out of someone.

“I might quit again tonight.”