School cleaners win case two days into strike

The United Voices of the World (UVW) union has announced a “historic victory” two days into a planned 40-day strike at the La Retraite Roman Catholic Girls’ School in London.

According to the union, the dispute began when school cleaners’ hours were cut in the run up to Christmas and their wages withheld after a month-long walkout in February prompted by Covid-19 health and safety concerns.

UVW officials say the victory is their third in the school sector, and the second time “outsourced cleaners have achieved total parity in sick pay with in-house teaching staff”. They also report that the cleaners have won a backdated London Living Wage, improvements to health and safety, and “the return of their stolen wages”.

Alongside the strike threat, the union also planned legal action alleging institutional racism, and a complaint to the Employment Tribunal on the grounds that the deduction of the workers’ wages in response to a Section 44 walkout was a detriment, and in violation of the Employment Rights Act 1996.

https://www.uvwunion.org.uk/en/news/2021/03/press-release-a-historic-victory-for-school-cleaners-who-win-teachers-sick-pay-scheme-2-days-into-a-40-day-strike