Cleaners at prestigious UK girls’ school win dispute over pay and conditions

Cleaners at a prestigious London private school have won their battle for improved pay and working conditions, as well as compensation for steep cuts in their hours, scrapping plans for industrial action that was due to have started next week.

As part of the dispute former pupils of James Allen’s girls’ school (Jags) in Dulwich, south-east London, distributed leaflets publicising the strike in the local community, and called on the school’s leaders to set a better example to pupils.

The group of cleaners belonging to United Voices of the World (UVW), a grassroots trade union for low-paid migrant workers, voted to strike after the school’s contractor wanted to slash their working time from 43 to 38 weeks a year but offered only a £1.55 hourly pay rise in return.

Related: Cleaners at prestigious UK girls’ school vote to strike over cut in hours

After the vote to strike, and appeals from teachers and former students, the school and its cleaning contractor, DB Services, reversed course and offered higher backdated pay of £13.15 an hour to the cleaners, as well as guaranteed annual increases and to meet the London living wage from next year.

The cleaners would also receive compensation for the five-week cut and the introduction of full sick pay, the union said.

The school and DB Services did not respond when contacted for comment.

Rosa Garcés Chinche, one of the Jags cleaners and a UVW member, said: “I am very happy with what we won today. We achieved a lot especially considering for many of us it was the first time we were in a union.

“We are very appreciative of all the support we received along the way, from other union members, from the teachers who stood by us every step of the way, and from the community members and alumni of Jags that sent us so much support.

“I think it is important that migrant cleaners everywhere know that we have power in our hands, and we need to unite and build unions in order to have respect at work and win big wins. Always remember, ¡La unión hace la fuerza! [unity is strength!].”

Some of the cleaners have worked at Jags for more than a decade, with several having to work split shifts at the site starting at 5.30am and then returning for a later shift ending about 6pm.

Petros Elia, the general secretary of the UVW, said the “bravery and determination” of the cleaners enabled them to refuse the demands to accept steep cuts in their working weeks with little in return.

“We’re pleased the strike action can be avoided and that Jags – the oldest independent girls’ school in London – will finally treat their cleaners with dignity and respect,” Elia said.

The private school dates to 1741 and charges £24,500 a year for pupils attending its senior school. The facilities on its 9 hectare site include a music centre, swimming pool and theatre, with alumni including the actor Sally Hawkins , the star of Made In Dagenham.

Parents at the school are likely to face higher costs from January after the government applies VAT of 20% to fees. But the increase passed on to parents is likely to be lower than 20%, as schools plan to reclaim VAT on their eligible spending and absorb some of the rise.