www.nuj.org.uk – 16/03/2012 – click here for original article | NUJ calls on Thomson Reuters to pay their cleaners a fair wage

The NUJ is offering support and solidarity with cleaners working at Thomson Reuters, who are taking action over poor pay and bullying by management. The cleaners are employed by Rentokil Initial.

The cleaners will be mounting a mass protest today  (March 16) at Thomson Reuters, 33 Aldgate High Street, London EC3N 1DL, next to Aldgate tube station. Speakers will include John McDonnell MP, Steve Hedley RMT London Regional Organiser and John Maloney PCS DfT Group Secretary. There will a further protest at Thomson Reuters in Canary Wharf on Friday 30th March.

In November 2011, Thomson Reuters rejected any increase to the wages of their cleaners. Cleaners who circulated a petition calling for the London Living Wage were subjected to intimidation and abuse by their Rentokil Initial managers.

The cleaners, as part of the union Industrial Workers of the World, are asking Thomson Reuters to remove the managers responsible for bullying from Thomson Reuters offices and pay the London Living Wage of £8.30 per hour.

Mike Roddy, NUJ Thomson Reuters FoC, said: “We support the action of the cleaners. Even if the company is not their direct employer, we would urge Thomson Reuters management to work to resolve this dispute and to see to it that some of the abuses described by the cleaners are not repeated.”

Barry Fitzpatrick, NUJ deputy general secretary, said: “The NUJ is fully behind the case of the cleaners. Our members will be offering solidarity and support. We are not instructing or advising members not to cross the picket line, however if an individual as a matter of conscience feels unable to cross, we would offer any appropriate support if there were consequences for the individual.”

Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, said: “These cleaners are working in the heart of the city where some bankers will earn more in their yearly bonus than they will in their lifetime.  Thomson Reuters must take responsibility for the way the people who clean their offices and empty their bins are treated. It is a disgrace that they are not being paid the modest London Living Wage of £8.30.”