A protest rally was held on Friday against the treatment of cleaners and security guards by senior government officials.
The protest followed the release of Sue Gray’s report at the Downing Street party during the Covid-19 confinements, which found multiple examples of “unacceptable” treatment by security and cleaning staff at No. 10. Ms. Gray he said in his report that he knew of several examples. of the “unacceptable” treatment of security and cleaning personnel during their investigation.
She wrote: “I found that some staff members had witnessed or been subjected to work behaviors that were of concern to them but that they sometimes felt unable to approach properly.
“I was exposed to multiple examples of disrespect and mistreatment of security and cleaning staff. That was unacceptable. “
Protesters demanded better support for low-paid workers Credit: PA
Protesters also called for “justice” for a Justice Department cleaner, Emanuel Gomes, who died during the pandemic in April 2020 after working for five days with suspected symptoms of Covid.
A coroner reportedly registered his official cause of death as hypertension of the heart.
They sang chants that included “justice for Emanuel” and “a rule for them and another rule for us,” while others played drums to make enough noise for those on Downing Street to hear them.
Vicente Méndez, a friend of Mr. Gomes, attended the protest and said he was “very grateful” to all who had attended to show their support.
Candles, flowers and A4 posters with the face of Mr. Gomes were placed along the road.
Protesters also paid tribute to cleaner Emanuel Gomes, who died during the pandemic. Credit: PA
Ms Gray’s report said staff members were “drinking too much” at the Downing Street Christmas party on December 18, 2020, and a cleaner found that red wine was spilled on a wall. the next morning.
Rishi Sunak told ITV News that he was “surprised and dismayed” to read about the treatment of staff and said “this behavior is not acceptable”, but declined to comment on whether they are being paid fairly.
“As someone who lives on Downing Street, I know a lot of these people, they do a wonderful job and they are wonderful with my kids, so I am very sad to hear what happened,” he added.
The chancellor did not comment on whether Downing Street cleaning and security staff reach a “fair deal”
When asked if these workers get “fair treatment,” he replied, “It would not be my particular responsibility to know their terms and conditions.”
But that “he likes to think that this government has put in place a lot of measures” to make sure that “people get it right.”
United Voices of the World (UVW), a union representing cleaners and security guards in government buildings, called a protest in front of Downing Street.
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The union said it was protesting against the culture of disrespect for underpaid workers, such as cleaners and security guards, in London government buildings and offices.
UVW Secretary-General Petros Elia said: “We are not at all surprised by the revelations in Sue Gray’s report. We have thousands of members working as cleaners and security guards, and these workers are facing disrespect and discrimination on a daily basis in London government offices and buildings, not just Downing Street.
“It is outrageous to have scandalous and illegal parties during the pandemic, but waiting for cleaners to pay you and pay you, as well as porters and security guards, poverty wages and denying them full pay for illness is abominable .
“Most of the cleaners and security guards out there are ethnic minority workers, blacks, browns and migrants, who are disproportionately affected by poor working conditions and racial inequalities.
Boris Johnson poses what appears to be a beer on his birthday, in an image published in Sue Gray’s report. Credit: Sue Gray / PA report
A prominent cleaning industry official is requesting a meeting with the Cabinet Secretary on how the cleaning staff was treated at 10 Downing Street.
Jim Melvin, chairman of the British Cleaning Council, said he was “horrified and upset” by the revelations in the party’s report.
Melvin wrote to Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, “At a time when many cleaning and hygiene operating employees, possibly as front-line workers, were directly at risk for maintaining high hygiene standards and ensuring that key workers and the public were kept as safe as possible during the pandemic, it is absolutely frightening and annoying to hear that they were treated with such contempt by people who may sit in government or civil service and that frankly to know better.
“Our position is that the cleaning and hygiene workers are hardworking, professional and deserve to be respected in their vital work, just like anyone else, and certainly how they would expect to be treated.