Broken promises are unacceptable, prison guard members of Isotita union said on Monday as they started an indefinite strike with a protest outside the justice ministry over pay grades.

They have called for upgrades to their pay scales and asked for additional special allowances.

Isotita has said that a promise was made to them by director general of the justice ministry Louis Panayis on behalf of minister Stefie Drakou to increase their pay grades.

They are also protesting after the finance ministry rejected a request for a special allowance to be paid to prison guards even after it was recommended by the justice ministry.

The prison guards held placards reading ‘Loui remember the promise you made’, ‘Not one step back’ and ‘Starvation wages are not enough. Bills don’t add up. Upgrade pay grades now.’