Prison officers in Northern Ireland today threatened industrial action if the British government continued to refuse to pay extra compensation to improve security.
The row follows revelations that the personal details of 1,400 officers were found by police investigating IRA intelligence gathering last month.
The list of names and addresses were found on a computer seized in republican west Belfast during the investigation into an alleged IRA spy ring.
Some officers, fearing for their lives and the safety of their families, want to move but are accusing the Northern Ireland Office of forcing them into debt to make the move.
Mr Finlay Spratt of the Prison Officers' Association said they were prepared to walk out if the Prison Service did not provide additional money for officers wanting to move.
The association is seeking a payment of £20,000 sterling, an increase of about £8,000 on the current relocation allowance.
"We will not rule out the possibility of walking out of prison if they refuse to pay it. We have to protect our families," said Mr Spratt.
Officers have already stepped up action by refusing to work extra unpaid hours.
The British government has several programmes to help with the costs of moving those in Northern Ireland under threat.