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Cleaners At Sotheby’s To Get London Living Wage
The prestigious Sotheby’s auction house has become one of the latest high profile companies to sign up to the London Living Wage for their cleaners and porters.
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The decision comes after successful negotiations between volunteer-run trade union United Voices of the World and Contract Cleaning and Maintenance (London) Limited. As well as the substantial pay rise to meet the London Living Wage – currently set at £9.15 per hour – the increase will be backdated to the beginning of November last year.
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As well as this, a suspended shop steward and dismissed cleaner have both been reinstated, and the chemicals that cleaners use will
be changed in favour of more eco- friendly products.
Following the announcement, United Voices of the World General Secretary, Petros Elia, said: “Sotheby’s is famous for selling masterpieces for millions of pounds, so the contrast with cleaners on poverty wages could hardly be greater.
“These hardworking people were also subject to a host of other injustices, which are sadly all too common in the cleaning sector, including a cut in hours and pay resulting in more work for less money, and aggressive managers who never faced disciplinary sanctions.
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The trade union initially submitted a collective grievance to contractors CCML, which was dismissed. They then secured an Early Day Motion in Parliament which strongly condemned the employment practices, and called on Sotheby’s to resolve the dispute.
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Petros added: “Having arrived late at the negotiating table, Sotheby’s deserve great credit for proposing a generous package which goes way beyond what other multinationals provide.
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“The rise to the London Living Wage equates to an extra £1,750 a year for a cleaner working eight hours a day, with the backdated pay worth a further £600. It says a lot that the cleaners say the most welcome change is an ability to take all their annual leave in one go. Many are of Latin American descent, so this will make it much easier for them to visit their families.”
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www.woolsafe.org Photo By Ana Ulin via
StockPholio.com 16
A Sotheby’s cleaner, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “We cannot find the words to thank UVW, who gave us so much support and encouragement to fight for our rights and our dignity.”
www.tomorrowscleaning.com
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