Cleaners at the prestigious girls school see victory with pay deal

Outsourced migrant cleaners at a prestigious private school have won their battle for improved pay and working conditions, as well as compensation for steep cuts in their hours.

In light of the pay deal, cleaners at James Allen’s Girls’ School (JAGS) in East Dulwich Grove have called off a strike which was due to start next week.

Rosa Garces Chinche, a JAGS cleaner and UVW member, said: “I am very happy with what we won today, we achieved a lot especially considering for many of us it was the first time we were in a union. 

“We are very appreciative of all the support we received along the way, from other union members, from the teachers who stood by us every step of the way, and from the community members and alumni of JAGs that sent us so much support. 

“I think it important that migrant cleaners everywhere know that we have power in our hands, and we need to unite and build unions in order to have respect at work and win big wins!”

The group of cleaners, who are members of United Voices of the World (UVW), a trade union for low-paid migrant workers, voted to strike after the school’s contractor wanted to slash their working time from 43 to 38 weeks a year but offered only a £1.55 hourly pay rise in return.

After voting to strike the school and its cleaning contractor, DB Services, conceded by offering higher backdated pay of £13.15 an hour to the cleaners, as well as guaranteed annual increases and to meet the London living wage from April 1, next year.

The cleaners would also receive compensation for the five-week cut and the introduction of full sick pay, the union said.

The school declined to comment.

Petros Elia, general secretary for UVW, said: “The resilience of our members, their bravery and determination to fight for a dignified wage and refusal to allow their boss to bully them into accepting cuts, alongside the solidarity from teachers and alumni has delivered this win.”

The private school charges £24,500 a year for pupils attending its senior school. 

DB Services has been approached for comment.

Pictured top: James Allen’s Girls School in East Dulwich Grove (Picture: Google Street View)