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From The Socialist newspaper, 20 November 2019
Cleaners strike over low pay at Haringey secondary school
Other low-paid cleaners on strike for better wages and sick pay, photo by Paul Mattsson (Click to enlarge)
A Haringey teacher
On the same day that it was announced that the recommended London Living Wage was to be increased to £10.75 an hour, cleaners employed by Lakethorne Cleaning Services at Highgate Wood School in north London went on a one-day strike to demand an end to their appalling working conditions.
Cleaners are currently paid only £8.21 an hour, without any sick pay or holiday pay. Despite Labour-run Haringey Council's commitment to support the London Living Wage, this policy clearly does not extend to those workers employed by companies to whom their essential public services, such as school-cleaning services, have been outsourced.
Lakethorne is a company which specialises in 'race to the bottom' outsourced public sector contracts, and they are also resolutely anti-union.
The cleaners, who are largely Latin American migrant workers, have been campaigning for decent conditions since May. However, until now, Lakethorne has refused to meet with their union, the CAIWU. As a result, on 12 November, the cleaners staged a one-day strike with a lively protest on the school gates as people were arriving for a parents' evening.
They were joined on their picket line by teaching and support staff from the Highgate Wood National Education Union (NEU) who also raised a solidarity fund to ensure that none of the cleaners were out of pocket as a result of their strike.
Their action has the support not only of NEU members, but also parents, school leadership and the governors. Under pressure from the school, Lakethorne has now finally agreed to meet with the cleaners' union to resolve the dispute.
- Follow caiwu.org.uk/hws for more updates on the campaign
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In The Socialist 20 November 2019:
What we think
High Court injunction: solidarity to the CWU
CWU - ground laid for an almighty struggle
Climate change
Major funding for flood risk management needed
NHS
Save the NHS: kick out the Tories
Frimley NHS Trust: Strikers remain determined to defeat privatisation
Violence against women
What policies are needed to end domestic violence and abuse?
Socialist Party news and analysis
Broadband: privatisation has failed to deliver, time for a socialist plan
Bolton university fire: government inaction puts safety at risk
Wages flatline, while shareholders profit
Workplace news and analysis
UCU pay and pension strike: university staff have had enough
West Midlands Trains: guards strike to defend safety-critical role
PCS union: elect Marion Lloyd!
Cleaners strike over low pay at Haringey secondary school
Bradford library and museum strikers enter third round of strike action
Long hours in the world of security
NEU members' sixth-form walkouts
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
Secret police infiltration of workers' movement exposed
150 protest against Leicester hospital downgrading attack
Carmarthenshire union demands no-cuts budget
Swansea: students protest against Hillary Clinton hypocrisy
Keep the National Poetry Library free
Readers' opinion
International socialist news and analysis
Amazon bosses defeated in Seattle - Kshama Sawant reelected
Chile revolt continues: read eyewitness report
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