THOUSANDS of Jobcentre security guards start a six-day strike in their long-running pay dispute today.

GMB and PCS union members will walk out until next Saturday.

There is anger that 90 per cent of the guards are paid just the minimum wage, the GMB said.

National officer Eamon O’Hearn said: “Under the Conservative government, the DWP [Department of Work & Pensions] and [security contractor] G4S seemed happy to allow Jobcentres to close and security guards to go hungry. But things have changed and these workers will not give up their fight.

“If G4S won’t do the decent thing, it’s up to the DWP to step in and end this long-running dispute.”

Guards will rally at the Supreme Court in London on Wednesday before marching to the DWP in Whitehall and to employer G4S’s offices.

G4S said its offer is above inflation.

The department said that benefit payments would not be affected.