Hundreds of Job Centre security guards from Croydon and across London began a week-long walkout this morning as part of an ongoing pay dispute.
Out of work: security guards at the country’s Job Centres are on strike all week
While working at the government offices run by the Department for Work and Pensions, the security guards are employed by private outsourcing company G4S.
The industrial action organised by the GMB trades union began across the country this morning and will last until Saturday. The union says that 1,400 of its members are striking.
“The workers do a difficult, dangerous job,” the GMB said today.
The union’s research shows that more than 80% of security staff regularly suffer abuse. This has included instances of one guard being savaged in the neck by dogs, as well as staff being punched and attacked while doing their jobs.
According to the GMB’s figures, 90% of the guards are paid only the minimum wage.
Official figures show that the DWP has paid £211million to G4s for its work at Job Centres since December 2022 – despite staff costs being just £161million during the same period.
ACAS, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, is seeking to arrange talks to settle the dispute, but the GMB says that the employers are refusing to participate.
“It’s not rocket science – if the DWP and G4S want to end this dispute, make sure these guards are paid enough to live on,” the GMB’s Eamon O’Hearn said.
“G4S has been handed millions by the government, yet our members can barely afford to feed their families.
“The work they do is hard; they are attacked with alarming regularity just for doing their job. The least they expect is to be paid a proper wage.”
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