UK: Migrants employed by DB Services to clean London private school win improved pay & working conditions as planned strike action called off
Migrant cleaners employed by DB Services to clean a UK private school, James Allen’s girls’ school, have voted for strike action. The workers are members of United Voices of the World union. They are striking after their contracts were changed to reduce their annual working weeks from 43 weeks to 38. The workers say the changes were made without consultation.
We are demanding our rights as workers because cleaners are treated as if we have no rights, as if we don’t matter. But we are workers like everyone else and we want our rights to be respected.Cleaner at the school
The Guardian reports DB Services told employees it would pay the London living wage if workers worked less weeks. The company did not respond to The Guardian’s request for comment. The school said it is confident “DB Services and its staff can work together to find a constructive solution”.
In late August, the Guardian further reported the planned strike was scrapped after DB Services offered higher backdated pay and guaranteed annual increases, as well as to meet the London living wage from next year.