IWW Cleaners Strike Hits London
Submitted on Thu, 07/21/2011 - 1:22pm
Early morning contract cleaners hired by the City of London at Guildhall have staged a two day strike in protest at unpaid wages. The 34 cleaners only get the minimum wage, but even then cleaning contractor Ocean has underpaid many of them continuously over the last 3 months, despite asking them to work extra hours.
Their patience ran out on Tuesday 14 and Wednesday 15 June, when those still unpaid refused to lift a finger until the company gave them assurances they would be paid. Their other workmates agreed to stay put with them in the reception area in solidarity for the duration of their two hour shift. The situation is now on a knife edge, with the company issuing some "amended" payslips, and promising that the rest of the shortfall will be made good this week and in next month?s pay packet.
The workers, who hail from many different countries, are meanwhile presenting a collective grievance and have vowed to protest if the company fails to come up with the goods. They belong to the IWW's 640 (Cleaners and Allied Trades) branch. The last visible protest movements by City cleaners were at UBS's Liverpool Street offices in 2010 and the Willis Building in 2009.
Sent by: IWW 640 (Cleaners and Allied Trades branch)