“Migrant cleaners’ strike threat as they demand same rights as white government colleagues”

Migrant cleaners working at the Department for Education (DfE) are threatening strike action over pay as well as concerns that Black workers are not being afforded the same rights as their predominantly white colleagues.

Union members say they have been denied the London living wage of £13.15 per hour, plus the annual leave and sick pay entitlement that white-collar workers at the department receive.

The outsourced workers, who clean offices within the department’s Sanctuary Buildings headquarters, say they are struggling financially…

A United Voices of The World (UVW) union spokesperson said: “The system of outsourcing allows companies to offer inferior terms and conditions for the outsourced cleaner workforce, which happens to be made up mostly of workers from ethnic minority and migrant backgrounds because of matters of historical structural racism….

Contractor ISS UK Limited, which outsources the cleaners to the Government Property Agency, has refused to negotiate – following “numerous attempts”, the union said…

A spokesperson for ISS UK&I said: “We value the contribution of every ISS team member and will continue to work towards a resolution. We are disappointed that this ballot is going ahead.” They declined to comment on whether they would negotiate.