Guards at Birmingham courts paid late after wages blunder by G4S

Guards working at Birmingham’s courts did not receive their February wages on time after a blunder involving security firm G4S.

Around half of the 18 workers employed by the company at the city’s magistrates’ and crown court bases were said not to have received their February salaries on time.

And some of those who did get a payout allegedly received as little as £100.

The company took over responsibility for the staff from another firm, Mitie, last month. It has also won a £100million contract to provide security at the Olympics.

A spokesman apologised and admitted there had been a “number of issues” surrounding pay.

But G4S, which has also been in the firing line over its running of Birmingham Prison, was condemned over the problem by Birmingham Magistrates’ Court security officer Howard Stone.

“This is atrocious for a big firm like G4S, which brags about getting the contract for the Olympics,” he said.

“There are people with mortgages to pay and families to look after and we are all very frustrated.

“We were going to be paid on the 28th but I would say, out of 18 guards, there are nine who have not been paid at all.

“Others have received amounts ranging from £100 to £900 a month. It is completely random and we have been told this will happen again at the end of this month.

“The company is blaming it on our previous employer for not providing enough information. But this would not have been a problem if they had let us know beforehand.”

Several of the guards are members of the Public and Commercial Services union.

Industrial officer Peter Olech called on G4S to settle the matter quickly and pay off any extra bank charges workers faced as a result of the problem.

The G4S spokesman said: “We are aware there have been a number of issues surrounding the current payment of employees transferring over to us from a previous provider.

"We are sorry for any inconvenience caused to those employees and our HR team is working hard to ensure all issues are dealt with by the close of play.”

G4S has been no stranger to controversy in recent months.

A set of keys vanished soon after the company took over Birmingham Prison last year, resulting in the arrest of a prison officer said to be unhappy with the terms of his contract.

And last month city Labour MP Steve McCabe raised in Parliament allegations that gangs had taken over the running of the jail.