Hashmira

{{Short description|Israeli security technologies company}}

Hashmira is an Israeli security technologies company established in 1937. It offers guard services, operational training, electronic security, surveillance, financial services, cleaning and maintenance services, and personnel services.[https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:4LAORr09qNoJ:www.jp-inc.com/cockpIT_case_studies/Rdt_jetr0_CaseStudy_Hashmira.pdf+hashmira&hl=en&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgUn_mTlGHGx1f0ajZuKYyHn7EX6fk2pWW9wPes1Bo2GSzt45AN-NXN73P4HQtCgwmajdiZZRaoiW604seG2YuoQ10Hf3uPrtRnqKXYDLd1z30tL28yXIeHFlBuaAwwMGnypwnv&sig=AHIEtbSv_77LoAOJDrreh8Ywcg0sYJqnPA Jetro Cockpit makes a total system upgrade possible at Israel's largest private security provider] Hashmira is a subsidiary of the international security services company G4S.{{Cite web |url=http://duns100.dundb.co.il/ts.cgi?tsscript=comp_eng&duns=600012918 |title=Dun's 100: Hashmira |access-date=2011-09-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120407062838/http://duns100.dundb.co.il/ts.cgi?tsscript=comp_eng&duns=600012918 |archive-date=2012-04-07 |url-status=dead }}

Hashmira is the largest private security company in Israel, with 15,000 employees and 50 company branches.[https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:4LAORr09qNoJ:www.jp-inc.com/cockpIT_case_studies/Rdt_jetr0_CaseStudy_Hashmira.pdf+hashmira&hl=en&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgUn_mTlGHGx1f0ajZuKYyHn7EX6fk2pWW9wPes1Bo2GSzt45AN-NXN73P4HQtCgwmajdiZZRaoiW604seG2YuoQ10Hf3uPrtRnqKXYDLd1z30tL28yXIeHFlBuaAwwMGnypwnv&sig=AHIEtbSv_77LoAOJDrreh8Ywcg0sYJqnPA Jetro Cockpit makes a total system upgrade possible at Israel's largest private security provider]

History

Hashmira was founded by Moshe Shermister, who immigrated to Palestine from Lithuania. Shermister worked as a policeman for the British Mandate. In 1937, he left the police and established Hashmira to protect Jewish businesses in Tel Aviv for a monthly fee.[http://www.haaretz.com/security-counsel-2-of-2-1.8758 Security counsel (2 of 2)], Haaretz In 1942, the demand for protection increased in the wake of drunken brawls involving Polish and Austrian soldiers stationed in Palestine. After the establishment of the state of Israel, when the country went through an austerity period, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry hired Hashmira to protect food depots. Following the Six-Day War, the company grew from 500 employees to 2,500 when it was hired to protect facilities and workers across the Green Line.

New technologies

In 2005, Hashmira began operating an electronic surveillance program for convicts and detainees in collaboration with Dmatek, a manufacturer of supervision equipment and control rooms. The program allows the police and courts to monitor a convict’s moves by electronic surveillance, thereby reducing the number of convicts in prison.{{Cite web |url=http://archive.globes.co.il/searchgl/Hashmira%20Security%20Technologies%20and%20Elmo-Tech%20are%20managing_s_hd_0L3WuCJKrN3aqCp8nCIveT6ri.html |title=Convict electronic surveillance program to save NIS 20m a year |access-date=2011-09-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929212402/http://archive.globes.co.il/searchgl/Hashmira%20Security%20Technologies%20and%20Elmo-Tech%20are%20managing_s_hd_0L3WuCJKrN3aqCp8nCIveT6ri.html |archive-date=2011-09-29 |url-status=dead }}

Criticism

In 2004, an investigative program on Israeli television discovered that the company has been violating Labour law and had failed to pay its employees travel expenses, overtime and dismissal compensation. In 2005, 350 Hashmira security guards sued the company for violations of their legal rights.{{Cite web|url=http://www.focusong4s.org/israel/|title="A Criminal Company": G4S in Israel}}

In June 2006, the Knesset Internal Affairs Committee discussed the company's labour law violations. In October 2006, a committee of the Ministry of Justice discussed the renewal of its operating license due to the allegations that the company has been violating the rights of thousands of security guards. The committee made the renewal of the license in 2008 conditional on modifications of the company's firing and pension payment policies.

References

{{reflist}}