UK
Crowd gathers outside Downing Street to protest treatment of cleaners during Partygate
United Voices of the World (UVW) organised the demonstration outside Downing Street in light of Sue Gray's Partygate report which revealed the "unacceptable" treatment of government cleaners and security staff
Cleaners staged a protest outside Downing Street on Friday
(Image: PA)
By Ryan Merrifield
By Ryan Merrifield
News Reporter
mirror.co.uk
27 May 2022
Demonstrators have gathered outside Downing Street to protest against the "outrageous" treatment of government cleaners and security during Partygate.
Whitehall enforcer Sue Gray has lifted the lid on the behaviour of Boris Johnson and his staff behind-closed-doors during the Covid pandemic.
And that includes the lockdown-busting gatherings, as well as the "acceptable" treatment of the cleaners and custodians who uncovered law-breaking parties.
She said they were left feeling "unable to raise properly" their concerns.
United Voices of the World (UVW), a union which represents cleaners and security guards in Government buildings arranged Friday's demonstration, which started at 5.30pm.
The union wants to raise awareness of the culture of disrespect towards low-paid workers, such as cleaners and security guards, in Government buildings and offices across London.
A protestor holds up a sign encouraging drivers to beep their horns (Image: REUTERS)
The group has also worked to highlight the death of Emanuel Gomes, a father who was an outsourced cleaner in the Ministry of Justice and died in April 2020 after working for five days with suspected Covid symptoms.
He believed he could not afford to lose income.
It comes after the Prime Minister apologised to security and cleaning staff for their appalling treatment at events he insisted he had “no knowledge” of, saying he was “surprised and disappointed” to hear about them.
The group has also worked to highlight the death of Emanuel Gomes, a father who was an outsourced cleaner in the Ministry of Justice and died in April 2020 after working for five days with suspected Covid symptoms.
He believed he could not afford to lose income.
It comes after the Prime Minister apologised to security and cleaning staff for their appalling treatment at events he insisted he had “no knowledge” of, saying he was “surprised and disappointed” to hear about them.
Owen Jones speaking during the demonstration (Image: PA)
This included the infamous Christmas party on December 18, 2020 where dozens gathered for a raucous knees-up in No10 resulting in cleaners finding evidence of heavy drinking, as well as wine splattered up the wall, according to Ms Gray's report.
Petros Elia, UVW general secretary, said: “We’re not in the least bit surprised by the revelations in the Sue Gray report.
"We have thousands of members who work as cleaners and security guards and these workers face disrespect and discrimination on a daily basis in offices and government buildings across London, not just in Downing Street.
This included the infamous Christmas party on December 18, 2020 where dozens gathered for a raucous knees-up in No10 resulting in cleaners finding evidence of heavy drinking, as well as wine splattered up the wall, according to Ms Gray's report.
Petros Elia, UVW general secretary, said: “We’re not in the least bit surprised by the revelations in the Sue Gray report.
"We have thousands of members who work as cleaners and security guards and these workers face disrespect and discrimination on a daily basis in offices and government buildings across London, not just in Downing Street.
Images of Emanuel Gomes were also used in the protest (Image: PA)
“It is outrageous to have rowdy and illegal parties during the pandemic but to then expect cleaners to mop up after you and to pay them, as well as porters and security guards, poverty wages and deny them full sick pay is abhorrent.
“Most of the cleaners and security guards out there are ethnic minority workers, Black, brown and migrant people, who are disproportionately impacted by poor working conditions and racialised inequalities.
“It is outrageous to have rowdy and illegal parties during the pandemic but to then expect cleaners to mop up after you and to pay them, as well as porters and security guards, poverty wages and deny them full sick pay is abhorrent.
“Most of the cleaners and security guards out there are ethnic minority workers, Black, brown and migrant people, who are disproportionately impacted by poor working conditions and racialised inequalities.
1 hr ago
By Carlo Simone
By Carlo Simone
SEO Journalis
The revelations in Sue Gray's report about how cleaning staff were treated has set this protest in motion (PA)
A protest is to be held outside Downing Street today (Friday, May 27) amid growing anger over revelations in the ‘partygate’ report over the way cleaners and security staff were treated.
Sue Gray said in her report that she learned of multiple examples of “unacceptable” treatment of security and cleaning staff during her investigation.
She wrote: “I found that some staff had witnessed or been subjected to behaviours at work which they had felt concerned about but at times felt unable to raise properly.
“I was made aware of multiple examples of a lack of respect and poor treatment of security and cleaning staff. This was unacceptable.”
Staff members “drank excessively” at the Downing Street Christmas party on December 18 2020, and a cleaner found red wine was spilled on one wall the next morning, the report said.
The revelations in Sue Gray's report about how cleaning staff were treated has set this protest in motion (PA)
A protest is to be held outside Downing Street today (Friday, May 27) amid growing anger over revelations in the ‘partygate’ report over the way cleaners and security staff were treated.
Sue Gray said in her report that she learned of multiple examples of “unacceptable” treatment of security and cleaning staff during her investigation.
She wrote: “I found that some staff had witnessed or been subjected to behaviours at work which they had felt concerned about but at times felt unable to raise properly.
“I was made aware of multiple examples of a lack of respect and poor treatment of security and cleaning staff. This was unacceptable.”
Staff members “drank excessively” at the Downing Street Christmas party on December 18 2020, and a cleaner found red wine was spilled on one wall the next morning, the report said.
Sue Gray's report revealed that cleaning staff had been treated badly (PA)
United Voices of the World (UVW), a union that represents cleaners and security guards in government buildings, has called the protest outside Downing Street.
The union said it was protesting against the culture of disrespect towards low-paid workers, such as cleaners and security guards, in government buildings and offices across London.
Petros Elia, UVW general secretary, said: “We’re not in the least bit surprised by the revelations in the Sue Gray report. We have thousands of members who work as cleaners and security guards and these workers face disrespect and discrimination on a daily basis in offices and government buildings across London, not just in Downing Street.
“It is outrageous to have rowdy and illegal parties during the pandemic but to then expect cleaners to mop up after you and to pay them, as well as porters and security guards, poverty wages and deny them full sick pay is abhorrent.
“Most of the cleaners and security guards out there are ethnic minority workers, Black, brown and migrant people, who are disproportionately impacted by poor working conditions and racialised inequalities.
“We represent cleaners at the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) who had to walk off the job during the pandemic because they were not given adequate PPE and were denied full sick pay, which they eventually won for Covid-19 absences."
A leading official of the cleaning industry is calling for a meeting with the Cabinet Secretary over the way cleaning staff were treated at 10 Downing Street.
Jim Melvin, chairman of the British Cleaning Council, said he was “appalled and upset” at revelations in Sue Gray’s partygate report.
United Voices of the World (UVW), a union that represents cleaners and security guards in government buildings, has called the protest outside Downing Street.
The union said it was protesting against the culture of disrespect towards low-paid workers, such as cleaners and security guards, in government buildings and offices across London.
Petros Elia, UVW general secretary, said: “We’re not in the least bit surprised by the revelations in the Sue Gray report. We have thousands of members who work as cleaners and security guards and these workers face disrespect and discrimination on a daily basis in offices and government buildings across London, not just in Downing Street.
“It is outrageous to have rowdy and illegal parties during the pandemic but to then expect cleaners to mop up after you and to pay them, as well as porters and security guards, poverty wages and deny them full sick pay is abhorrent.
“Most of the cleaners and security guards out there are ethnic minority workers, Black, brown and migrant people, who are disproportionately impacted by poor working conditions and racialised inequalities.
“We represent cleaners at the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) who had to walk off the job during the pandemic because they were not given adequate PPE and were denied full sick pay, which they eventually won for Covid-19 absences."
A leading official of the cleaning industry is calling for a meeting with the Cabinet Secretary over the way cleaning staff were treated at 10 Downing Street.
Jim Melvin, chairman of the British Cleaning Council, said he was “appalled and upset” at revelations in Sue Gray’s partygate report.
Harrison Jones
METRO UK
Thursday 26 May 2022 
‘One of our members who worked as a cleaner at the MoJ tragically died an untimely and avoidable death. That’s how far the levels of disrespect and mistreatment went and goes towards low paid workers.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is said to have personally apologised to Number 10 cleaning staff following the report.
But a leading official from the cleaning industry is now also calling for a meeting with the Cabinet Secretary about the issue.
Jim Melvin, chairman of the British Cleaning Council, said he was ‘appalled and upset’ at the revelations.
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Now he has written to Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, saying: ‘At a time when many cleaning and hygiene operational staff, arguably as frontline workers, were putting themselves directly at risk to maintain high standards of hygiene and ensure that key workers and the public were kept as safe as possible during the pandemic, it is absolutely appalling and upsetting to hear that they were being treated with such contempt by people who may sit within Government or the Civil Service and who frankly should know better.
‘It is our position that cleaning and hygiene operatives are hardworking, professional and deserve to be respected in their vital work, just like anyone one else and certainly how the people concerned would expect to be treated.’
He continued: ‘For further clarification and information, in some parts of the cleaning industry, the demand for increased standards of hygiene during the pandemic has combined with severe staff shortages to drive many colleagues close to breaking point.
‘What cleaning staff need is support and recognition from the Government and Civil Service, not to be treated with any level of disrespect.’
Cleaners cleared up vomit and red wine after parties in Number 10, Sue Gray’s report found
(Picture: Reuters/ITV)
Cleaners and security staff are set to protest outside Downing Street tomorrow in disgust at their colleagues’ treatment by those at the top of Government.
A union which represents those workers in government buildings, United Voices of the World (UVW), has called the demonstration against what it calls a culture of disrespect to low-paid workers.
It comes amid growing anger at revelations in Sue Gray’s partygate report, which uncovered repeated examples of ‘unacceptable treatment’ of cleaning and security workers during her investigation into lockdown-breaching parties.
She wrote: ‘I found that some staff had witnessed or been subjected to behaviours at work which they had felt concerned about but at times felt unable to raise properly.
‘I was made aware of multiple examples of a lack of respect and poor treatment of security and cleaning staff. This was unacceptable.’
The report, which has led to four Conservative MPs calling on Boris Johnson to resign today, spelt out in grim detail the scale of rule breaking inside Number 10 during the Covid crisis.
Staff members ‘drank excessively’ at the Downing Street Christmas party on December 18 2020, and a cleaner found red wine was spilled on one wall the next morning, the report said.
Cleaners and security staff are set to protest outside Downing Street tomorrow in disgust at their colleagues’ treatment by those at the top of Government.
A union which represents those workers in government buildings, United Voices of the World (UVW), has called the demonstration against what it calls a culture of disrespect to low-paid workers.
It comes amid growing anger at revelations in Sue Gray’s partygate report, which uncovered repeated examples of ‘unacceptable treatment’ of cleaning and security workers during her investigation into lockdown-breaching parties.
She wrote: ‘I found that some staff had witnessed or been subjected to behaviours at work which they had felt concerned about but at times felt unable to raise properly.
‘I was made aware of multiple examples of a lack of respect and poor treatment of security and cleaning staff. This was unacceptable.’
The report, which has led to four Conservative MPs calling on Boris Johnson to resign today, spelt out in grim detail the scale of rule breaking inside Number 10 during the Covid crisis.
Staff members ‘drank excessively’ at the Downing Street Christmas party on December 18 2020, and a cleaner found red wine was spilled on one wall the next morning, the report said.
The Sue Gray report has led to further calls for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign (Picture: Reuters)
The UVW said it was protesting against the culture of disrespect towards low-paid workers, such as cleaners and security guards, in government buildings and offices across London.
General secretary Petros Elia explained: ‘We’re not in the least bit surprised by the revelations in the Sue Gray report. We have thousands of members who work as cleaners and security guards and these workers face disrespect and discrimination on a daily basis in offices and government buildings across London, not just in Downing Street.
‘It is outrageous to have rowdy and illegal parties during the pandemic but to then expect cleaners to mop up after you and to pay them, as well as porters and security guards, poverty wages and deny them full sick pay is abhorrent.
‘Most of the cleaners and security guards out there are ethnic minority workers, Black, brown and migrant people, who are disproportionately impacted by poor working conditions and racialised inequalities.’
He continued: ‘We represent cleaners at the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) who had to walk off the job during the pandemic because they were not given adequate PPE and were denied full sick pay, which they eventually won for Covid-19 absences.
The UVW said it was protesting against the culture of disrespect towards low-paid workers, such as cleaners and security guards, in government buildings and offices across London.
General secretary Petros Elia explained: ‘We’re not in the least bit surprised by the revelations in the Sue Gray report. We have thousands of members who work as cleaners and security guards and these workers face disrespect and discrimination on a daily basis in offices and government buildings across London, not just in Downing Street.
‘It is outrageous to have rowdy and illegal parties during the pandemic but to then expect cleaners to mop up after you and to pay them, as well as porters and security guards, poverty wages and deny them full sick pay is abhorrent.
‘Most of the cleaners and security guards out there are ethnic minority workers, Black, brown and migrant people, who are disproportionately impacted by poor working conditions and racialised inequalities.’
He continued: ‘We represent cleaners at the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) who had to walk off the job during the pandemic because they were not given adequate PPE and were denied full sick pay, which they eventually won for Covid-19 absences.
‘One of our members who worked as a cleaner at the MoJ tragically died an untimely and avoidable death. That’s how far the levels of disrespect and mistreatment went and goes towards low paid workers.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is said to have personally apologised to Number 10 cleaning staff following the report.
But a leading official from the cleaning industry is now also calling for a meeting with the Cabinet Secretary about the issue.
Jim Melvin, chairman of the British Cleaning Council, said he was ‘appalled and upset’ at the revelations.
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Now he has written to Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, saying: ‘At a time when many cleaning and hygiene operational staff, arguably as frontline workers, were putting themselves directly at risk to maintain high standards of hygiene and ensure that key workers and the public were kept as safe as possible during the pandemic, it is absolutely appalling and upsetting to hear that they were being treated with such contempt by people who may sit within Government or the Civil Service and who frankly should know better.
‘It is our position that cleaning and hygiene operatives are hardworking, professional and deserve to be respected in their vital work, just like anyone one else and certainly how the people concerned would expect to be treated.’
He continued: ‘For further clarification and information, in some parts of the cleaning industry, the demand for increased standards of hygiene during the pandemic has combined with severe staff shortages to drive many colleagues close to breaking point.
‘What cleaning staff need is support and recognition from the Government and Civil Service, not to be treated with any level of disrespect.’
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