22.08.2024 / Press releases / HARRODS

Harrods’ migrant cleaners call off strike after forcing policy change on annual leave

• Harrods night cleaners forced a policy change and called off their planned strike action after the bosses of the luxury London store scrapped a restrictive new annual leave policy
  
  
• The cleaners’ union, United Voices of the World (UVW), informed Harrods of their decision to halt strike action after a unanimous vote in favour of striking
  
  
• The new policy would have limited holidays to between one to two weeks depending on the time of year. Now, the cleaners will continue to take three weeks of holiday throughout the year, allowing the migrant workers to visit their families
  
  
• This marks UVW’s fourth victory at Harrods, following earlier wins that secured tips and substantial pay raises for waiting and kitchen staff.

Migrant night cleaners at Harrods declared victory and called off their strike after voting against a new holiday policy, which would have severely restricted their ability to take time off to visit families abroad. 95% of the cleaners are UVW members.

Harrods, a 175-year-old institution, scrapped the draconian policy, which would have limited holidays to a maximum of two weeks for all facilities workers, with only one week permitted at Christmas.

The abandoned policy would have particularly impacted the diverse workforce of cleaners, many of whom hail from Asia and Africa, including places as distant as Goa and the Philippines. These employees often save for several years to travel long distances to visit their families and are unable to take several shorter trips in a year. Due to the potentially discriminatory nature of the abandoned policy, UVW had been exploring legal action.

In June, Harrods’ facilities workers received notification of new guidelines that made it nearly impossible to secure more than two weeks of leave. Despite raising concerns about the unfairness and impracticality of the policy through their union, the luxury store initially ignored the workers’ concerns, with directors and HR personnel stating, “We have to take care of our business; we don’t care.”

Cleaners who had already arranged and paid for their holidays were left scrambling to cancel or change their plans. The company turned down holiday requests longer than two weeks.

UVW has a strong history of helping Harrods’ workers; this is UVW’s fourth victory in defending workers’ rights at the store. In 2017, UVW secured 100% of the service charge for chefs and waiters, previously withheld up to 75% by Harrods. In December 2021, restaurant workers won a nearly 25% pay rise, setting a new pay benchmark in the sector. Earlier this year, workers had to threaten to strike again to secure a pay review effective from April 2024.

Clive Furtado, Harrods night cleaner and UVW member, said:

“It’s a victory for us all, for everyone. All our demands are being met. Whatever we asked Harrods for, they have agreed to all the demands, which is brilliant. Before they told us that we can only take two week’s holidays so now it’s back to three weeks which is good. They’ve also started approving the holidays. Before they could take long, but now the holidays have been approved very fast. Because of our struggle the day shift has also benefited, everybody is benefiting from our fight.”

Agnelo Fernandes, Harrods night cleaner and UVW member, said:

“We are happy that we won this ballot. This is the unity between us. We are all united, every one of us. UVW helped us so much, we are grateful. They have given us much information about what to do and how to do it. Every one of us are very happy that we have taken a great step. This would have not happened if there was no support for us from UVW. We’re very happy. The managers wanted to do all that they say, but now they understand the power of our unity, and they have to bow down now.”

Petros Elia, general secretary for UVW, said: 

 “Harrods is celebrating its 175th anniversary but needs to be reminded to treat their workers with respect and dignity. This was a clear case of discrimination against migrant workers, who have always been able to take extended holidays to visit their families. The abandoned policy could have led to a patently absurd and unconscionable situation where none of the facilities’ workers would be able to spend sufficient time with their families who live overseas. The way these cleaners have been treated highlights a broader issue of how a multimillion-pound company for the rich is undermining the welfare of its migrant workforce, an all-too-common occurrence. But their overwhelming vote to strike shows these cleaners were ready to fight and UVW would have supported them like we have done, again and again.”

For further information contact the UVW comms team.

Jim: 07749 765264
Isabel: 07706 987443

E-mail: comms@uvwunion.org.uk  

About UVW

United Voices of the World is an anti-racist, member-led, direct action, campaigning trade union and we exist to support and empower the most vulnerable groups of precarious, low-paid and predominantly BAME and migrant workers in the UK. We fight the bosses through direct action on the streets and through the courts and demand that all members receive at least the London Living Wage, full pay, sick pay, dignity, equality and respect.

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