Cleaners at the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea council have walked out as part of an unprecedented three-day strike this week.

Starting on Tuesday 7 August, the cleaners walked out across five different sites for three days, and is said to be the first coordinated strike by what The Guardian calls ‘the capital’s low-paid army of largely migrant cleaners.’ The workers claim public institutions are refusing to take responsibility for low wages paid to outsourced cleaning staff.

The strike, organised by United Voices of the World (UVW) union, is hoped to increase pressure on public institutions to raise pay from the National Living Wage of £7.83 p/h, to the London Living Wage, which is £10.20 p/h. The latter is calculated based on the inflated costs associated with living in the capital, whereas the former is the legal minimum wage anywhere in the country.

Other grievances being raised include parity of terms and conditions in line with directly employed staff in terms of holiday entitlements, hours and overtime pay. An occupational sick pay scheme is also requested, as the current Statutory Sick Pay leaves workers unpaid for the first three days of illness, and receiving just £18 per day from the fourth day onwards.

Cleaners from eight exclusive HCA UK private hospitals and medical centres are set to join further coordinated action at the end of the month. These cleaners are also paid below London Living Wage, but have even more specific complaints.