The LSE cleaners' picket line, June 2018, photo by Paula Mitchell

The LSE cleaners’ picket line, June 2018, photo by Paula Mitchell   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

The United Voices of the World (UVW) union has announced that striking cleaners at the London School of Economics (LSE) will be brought in-house and become employees of LSE from Spring 2018! This will ensure they get, among other things, 41 days annual leave, sick pay, plus proper employer pension contributions.

This is a significant victory and comes on the back of an awe-inspiring ten-month battle for dignity and equality waged by the cleaners.

This dispute saw the largest number of cleaners in UK history strike at a single workplace, and the cleaners take seven days of strike action in total. There were also several protests and two occupations through the course of this dispute.

The cleaners were heavily supported by the student-led ‘Justice for LSE Cleaners Campaign’ and the wider trade union movement.