A “perfect storm” of job centre security guards’ strikes and prisoner early release could make job centres even more volatile
More than 1,500 guards are due to walk out for a week from 27 August - the latest strike in an long-running dispute over pay.
A survey of job centre security guards, taken before the prisoner release change, showed more than 80 percent regularly suffer abuse, including being savaged in the neck by dogs, punched, attacked with screwdrivers and customers behaving ‘like wild animals’. [1]
Workers fear that the early release scheme, of prisoners who often need job centre support, could drastically increase these risks.
Despite receiving £250m from the taxpayer funded DWP contract, more than 90 per cent of G4S security guards are now paid just the minimum wage.
Eamon O’Hearn, GMB National Officer, said:
“Job centre security guards provide a vital service even in normal times – experiencing abuse routinely on the job.
“But with the increase in ex-cons being released early, we could see a perfect storm for chaos, abuse and disorder in job centres.
“Unless these workers are offered a fair pay deal, that reflects the risks inherent in their work, they will have no option to continue industrial action.
