South London cleaners strike against elite school bosses
James Allen’s Girls’ School in Dulwich charges £24,000 a year per student
Night cleaners at Harrods won, and so can Dulwich school strikers (Picture: UVW)
By Charlie Kimber
Friday 23 August 2024
SOCIALIST WORKER Issue
Class struggle is alive and well in south London. Workers who clean the private James Allen’s Girls’ School in Dulwich, south London, are set for a three-day strike.
It was the Times newspaper’s Independent Secondary School of the Year 2024—and charges £24,000 a year per student.
The UVW union members plan to be out on 2, 3 and 5 September. It will see migrant workers take on an elite school’s bosses.
The union says, “Outsourced migrant cleaners have had their hours cut and pay unlawfully slashed by 12 percent.”
The cleaners were told to accept a cut in five weeks of work and pay per year in order to be granted the London Living Wage of £13.15 per hour. These changes left them worse off because they were employed for fewer hours.
When the cleaners refused—and voted unanimously to strike—their pay was returned to the lower rate of £11.55 per hour. The cleaners are employed directly by contractor DB Services.
Cleaner Gloria Chalaco said, “They didn’t consult us at all—they just started implementing cuts and changes, ignoring our voices.
“We can’t just find another job to make up for such a significant income loss, especially with scattered weeks off throughout the year. Our bills and rent don’t stop. On top of that, we don’t have sick pay.
“When we get sick, we either work while ill or lose our pay. They don’t respect us, the cleaners, as people with the same needs and rights as everyone else, yet we ensure the environment is healthy and safe for the pupils.”
The head of the school earns over £200,000 a year. There are also 38 other employees of the school with salaries between £60,000 and £90,000 and several others who earn over £100,000.
Striker Nelsa Jimenez said, “I can’t believe they have cut our pay. It is blackmail what they’re doing—forcing us to agree to a cut in hours or a cut in pay.
“I don’t feel valued. I feel outraged. We will fight back with everything, for our rights and the rights of anyone else who ever works in this company.”
Workers are demanding a yearly pay rise in line with the London Living Wage, no cuts to pay or hours, the same sick pay scheme as teachers and no contract changes.
The school boasts income of £25 million a year. Yet the five-week cut in hours management requested will save just £20,000 a year on the backs of the lowest-paid workers there. The school claims to profess values of inclusion, diversity, and equity.
The school strike comes as night cleaners at posh store Harrods in the UVW voted to strike and forced bosses to scrap restrictive new annual leave policy. It would have severely restricted workers’ ability to take time off to visit families abroad.
The union said it was a “racially discriminatory” holiday policy that particularly hit black and Asian workers. These inspiring struggles deserve full support.Picket at 144 East Dulwich Grove, London SE22 8TE from 7.30-8:30am, Monday 2, Tuesday 3 and Thursday 5 Sept
To donate to the strike fund and to write to the head go to tinyurl.com/Jags0824
It was the Times newspaper’s Independent Secondary School of the Year 2024—and charges £24,000 a year per student.
The UVW union members plan to be out on 2, 3 and 5 September. It will see migrant workers take on an elite school’s bosses.
The union says, “Outsourced migrant cleaners have had their hours cut and pay unlawfully slashed by 12 percent.”
The cleaners were told to accept a cut in five weeks of work and pay per year in order to be granted the London Living Wage of £13.15 per hour. These changes left them worse off because they were employed for fewer hours.
When the cleaners refused—and voted unanimously to strike—their pay was returned to the lower rate of £11.55 per hour. The cleaners are employed directly by contractor DB Services.
Cleaner Gloria Chalaco said, “They didn’t consult us at all—they just started implementing cuts and changes, ignoring our voices.
“We can’t just find another job to make up for such a significant income loss, especially with scattered weeks off throughout the year. Our bills and rent don’t stop. On top of that, we don’t have sick pay.
“When we get sick, we either work while ill or lose our pay. They don’t respect us, the cleaners, as people with the same needs and rights as everyone else, yet we ensure the environment is healthy and safe for the pupils.”
The head of the school earns over £200,000 a year. There are also 38 other employees of the school with salaries between £60,000 and £90,000 and several others who earn over £100,000.
Striker Nelsa Jimenez said, “I can’t believe they have cut our pay. It is blackmail what they’re doing—forcing us to agree to a cut in hours or a cut in pay.
“I don’t feel valued. I feel outraged. We will fight back with everything, for our rights and the rights of anyone else who ever works in this company.”
Workers are demanding a yearly pay rise in line with the London Living Wage, no cuts to pay or hours, the same sick pay scheme as teachers and no contract changes.
The school boasts income of £25 million a year. Yet the five-week cut in hours management requested will save just £20,000 a year on the backs of the lowest-paid workers there. The school claims to profess values of inclusion, diversity, and equity.
The school strike comes as night cleaners at posh store Harrods in the UVW voted to strike and forced bosses to scrap restrictive new annual leave policy. It would have severely restricted workers’ ability to take time off to visit families abroad.
The union said it was a “racially discriminatory” holiday policy that particularly hit black and Asian workers. These inspiring struggles deserve full support.Picket at 144 East Dulwich Grove, London SE22 8TE from 7.30-8:30am, Monday 2, Tuesday 3 and Thursday 5 Sept
To donate to the strike fund and to write to the head go to tinyurl.com/Jags0824
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