Security guard: ‘I was attacked, spat on and racially abused’

A JobCentre security guard said he was attacked, spat on and racially abused while on the job.

Zahid Abbas, who works at Kings Heath JobCentre in Birmingham, spoke as security guards workers began a week-long walkout on pay.

The GMB union said 250 security guards across the Midlands were taking part in the national strike, which is due to run from Monday to Saturday.

G4S, the private outsourcing firm that employs guards, urged the union to present its latest pay offer to its members and said the offer was above the minimum wage and inflation.

The GMB said its research showed 90% of its guards were paid the minimum wage and 80% were regularly abused.

“The wage they pay us, the standard minimum wage, makes no sense,” said Mr Abbas, who was protesting outside the JobCentre in Erdington.

“Recognise us, give us a decent day’s pay for a decent day’s work,” said Steadman Green, a security guard and GMB official, who was also protesting outside Erdington job centre.

The union added that 1,500 guards took part in the walkout across Britain as a whole.

A G4S spokesman said security guards did “a great job” and “the majority of our staff were not on strike”.

The GMB said the company’s latest pay offer amounted to an extra £23 an hour, an amount too low for members to vote on.

Attempts to bring all parties to the ACAS arbitration service have so far failed.