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24.03.2026 / News /

Migrant Women Housekeepers Lead the Fight for Union Recognition at Radisson Blu 

UVW members are making history — again. 

At Radisson Blu hotels in London, mainly migrant women housekeepers are leading a powerful fightback against exploitation in one of the UK’s least unionised sectors.  

After winning their historic 2025 strike at Canary Wharf — the first hotel strike in England since 1979 — these workers are continuing to push forward, determined to secure lasting change. 

The dispute began when outsourcing giant WGC imposed brutal cuts to hours alongside soaring workloads. In response, housekeepers — predominantly migrant women from South Asia — organised through UVW and took bold strike action in July 2025. United and determined, they forced their employer to back down and concede every demand: better pay, manageable workloads and more secure hours. 

Inspired by that victory, housekeepers at a second hotel, Radisson Blu Euston Square, organised collectively and won the same improvements without needing to strike, demonstrating the growing strength and confidence of workers across the sector. 

Now, the fight has entered a new phase. Housekeepers at both Canary Wharf and Euston Square have applied for trade union recognition through the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC), and UVW’s application has been accepted because the union represents a majority of workers — a major breakthrough. 

“Recognition is important because it gives us a proper chance to sit down and negotiate. If there are any future changes to our pay or working conditions, we can discuss them together and make sure they make sense for everyone. It means our voices are heard.”  Doris, Deputy Head Housekeeper at Radisson Blu and UVW member, 

But the battle is not over. Workers are demanding recognition at each hotel, where it will give them real power to negotiate. Their employer, however, is pushing for a single, chain-wide agreement — a move that would dilute workers’ voices and make it harder to win meaningful improvements. 

This matters. Only 2.5% of hospitality workers in the UK are union members, and even fewer benefit from recognition agreements. Winning recognition here would be a historic step forward — not just for these housekeepers, but for hospitality workers everywhere. 

Recognition gives the right to negotiate — but real power comes from collective strength and the courage to act.

If you and your colleagues want to win recognition too, get in touch and let’s make it happen! 💪 

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