09/02/2006

Parliament cleaners receive pay rise

Cleaners at the Houses of Parliament are to receive a pay rise, after settling their long-running pay dispute.

The workers' rate of pay will increase in stages from £5.20 to £6.70 per hour by next January, under the terms of a deal agreed with the Transport and General Workers Union.

The cleaners will also receive 28 days holiday pay, as well as sick pay, under the deal. Talks are also continuing on plans to establish a pension scheme.

The pay dispute resulted in cleaners staging two 24-hour strikes last year and picketing outside Parliament. The cleaners had previously only been paid £5.20 per hour, received no sick pay or pension provision and only the minimum holidays.

Jack Dromey, Deputy General Secretary of the TGWU, said that the cleaners had "won a living wage and respect", while Evrard Ouale, a TGWU shop steward at the Houses of Parliament said: "Parliament is a different place to work as we are now more valued."

(KMcA)

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