More than 1,000 job centre security guards across strike across the UK today

Meanwhile GMB has revealed the company has trousered £50 million of taxpayer cash since the dispute began

G4S, who have the Government contract to provide security for job centres, was handed £211 million by the Department for Work and Pensions since Dec 2022.

Guarding payments – essentially the company’s employment costs – during the same period total £161 million. Even with £3.5 million of ‘additional payments’ – this is a difference of almost £50 million. [1]

More than 1,000 job centre security guards are set to walk out from 00:01 until 23:59 on 13 May, with other dates scheduled later in the month.

The dispute is over a G4S below-inflation pay offer, meaning nearly 70 per cent of the security guards are now only paid the minimum wage.

Eamon O’Hearn, GMB National Officer, said:

“Job Centre security guards are eking out a living on just above the minimum wage, despite facing horrific violence and abuse while on the job. [2]

“Yet now we can see their employer G4S is scooping a tidy amount of taxpayer cash by paying them so badly.

“G4S can afford to pay these workers what they deserve – unless they do they are going to face a prolonged period of industrial action.”