State cleaners receive compensation of up to £2,500 after strike is called off

July 12, 2024

Another planned strike by overseas cleaners employed by the Department for Education (DfE) has been called off after the government agency and its contractor agreed to negotiate better pay and holiday conditions.

Union members say they are treated differently from their white colleagues, being denied the London living wage of £13.15 an hour and the annual leave and sick pay that other workers in the department receive.

The workers had planned to walk out of work in protest on Wednesday – along with cleaners, catering staff, receptionists and postal workers – as part of an ongoing strike that has already been reported The Independent.

However, the union says that employees have now been awarded back pay of up to £2,500 by its contractor, ISS UK Limited, as negotiations are ongoing. It has also committed to entering into negotiations with UVW on working conditions for all plant staff, including improvements to sick pay and annual leave.

An ISS spokesman said The Independent: “We are pleased to confirm that a constructive solution has been found to this dispute, benefiting ISS employees at the affected locations.

“We look forward to continuing to provide our important services to the ministry’s employees and visitors.”

The contractor ISS UK Limited, which outsources the cleaning work to the Government Property Agency (GPA), had previously refused – after “numerous attempts”, according to the union – to negotiate the cleaners’ demands for a living wage, the same sick pay and annual leave as civil servants, and appropriate staffing levels.

In addition, following the emerging layoff rumors, all current employees of the Sanctuary buildings will be sent a confirmation that none of them could lose their jobs.

Petros Elia, Secretary General of United Voices of the World (UVW), said: “Domestic workers are often the worst treated in any building, especially government buildings. And the DfE is changing that, with UVW supporting them every step of the way.”

“We are pleased that ISS, under pressure from the GPA, has begun to make concessions and agree to meaningful negotiations, and we hope that strike action can be permanently averted.

Milgo Jama, a mother of four, has worked at the DfE for 31 years and threatened to go on strike (AND MANY MORE)

However, if the demands are not met, our members will immediately go back to the picket line and will not return to work until they win.

“This fight will hopefully inspire all public sector workers and those working elsewhere to stand up and fight back. And we will make it clear to the new government that it is time to put an end to the two-tier workforce in Whitehall.”

ISS agreed to UVW’s demands after caterers joined DfE cleaners in a second round of strikes at the end of June and postal workers agreed to do the same.

Gloria Mancera, cleaner and UVW member, said: “I am very happy that our bosses have finally agreed to pay our wages retroactively and to sit down with our union to discuss better conditions for sick pay, annual leave and all the other issues we have been fighting for over the last year.”

“This is thanks to the unity of all of us and our union, with which we as a group have shown our determination and will to achieve equality for all workers.

“Why should one worker be entitled to decent pay while another has to suffer starvation wages? Why should one worker be able to stay at home when they are sick while another has to choose between sick leave or food on the table? This is simply unfair. We just hope that we can reach a good agreement for all parties before the end of the summer.”

In response to a request for comment from The IndependentThe GPA stated: “These employees are employed by an outside contractor and not directly by the government.”

“The contracts are the property of the Government Property Agency and not the Ministry of Education. The GPA ensures that the contracting companies comply with applicable labor laws.”