MORE than 1,500 Jobcentre security guards begin a week-long strike today after bosses refused to meet their union to discuss a pay dispute.

The workers are employed by notorious transnational security privateer G4S on behalf of the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP); some 90 per cent of the workers are paid just the minimum wage.

G4S is refusing to meet GMB without setting preconditions, the union said.

The guards will walk out from 9.30 today until August 18 nationwide.

GMB national secretary Andy Prendergast said: “Jobcentre security guards do a difficult, often dangerous job: the least they deserve is decent pay. And G4S cannot keep hiding from its workforce. We’re ready to talk any time to resolve this dispute.

“It should not take weeks upon weeks of action for an employer to engage with the workers’ union. The power to stop this dispute is in G4S’s hands.”

Mr Prendergast said G4S gets millions in taxpayer cash to run the Jobcentre security contract for the government department.

“This money shouldn’t be used to line shareholder pockets while staff struggle to get by,” he said.

The department said it was up to the G4S to respond when approached for comment. G4S was also contacted.