Volcanicity
29th April 2011, 15:52
From the Morning Star.
Britain's penny-pinching royals were exposed today for allowing cleaners in the opulent surroundings of Buckingham Palace to be paid a mere £6.45 - more than a pound less than the London living wage.
Members of union PCS, which represents 25 low-paid cleaning staff at royal residences, descended on the palace to drum up support from tourists and passers-by for their fair pay campaign.
BPCS organiser Lizzie Woods brandished a cleaning brush and loudhailer at the palace gates to declare: "Thirty million pounds of taxpayers money is paid to the royal family annually for the upkeep of the royal household.
"It is clear the London living wage is affordable."
Basking in sunshine union members waved placards outside the main gates to the palace chanting: "Fair pay for royal cleaners!" before being moved on by police.
However the stewards turned the tactical withdrawal into a march across the royal parks, delivering their message to huge crowds massed near the Queen's residence.
One cleaner who did not want to be identified for fear of reprisals said that working conditions were deteriorating at Buckingham Palace.
"I am afraid of being sacked or moved to another site if I am found to be speaking about this," said the cleaner.
"They think because we clean up shit, that we have shit for brains. But we will not go away."
Passers-by voiced their anger and disproval at the low wages forced onto the cleaners, all of whom are migrant workers.
Tourist Attracta Kelly said: "With all the hype and money over the royal wedding, it's disgraceful they are not paid the London living wage."
The benchmark living wage in the city now stands at £7.85, the figure calculated as the minimum to survive on in London.
It was introduced by Labour former mayor Ken Livingstone and was endorsed by current Mayor Boris Johnson.
It is now paid to many workers including cleaners in Parliament.
Speaking to the Star Ms Woods said that today's protest was just the start of the campaign for fair pay for their palace counterparts, who are employed by contractor KGB Holdings.
She said: "KGB is worth 23 million pounds - they can afford to pay the increase.
"We will escalate the campaign when US President Barack Obama visits and stays in Buckingham Palace in May."
Joining the protest and march across the royal parks Labour MP and PCS parliamentary convener John McDonnell said the royal family bore responsibility for the exploitation.
"It's a scandalous act of hypocrisy when millions is spent on the royal wedding and for the Queen not to pay the London living wage."
Mr McDonnell urged to people to pressure their MPs to sign EDM 1696 on the issue and for the public to sign the online petition at pcs.org.uk/royalcleaners.
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/104045.
Britain's penny-pinching royals were exposed today for allowing cleaners in the opulent surroundings of Buckingham Palace to be paid a mere £6.45 - more than a pound less than the London living wage.
Members of union PCS, which represents 25 low-paid cleaning staff at royal residences, descended on the palace to drum up support from tourists and passers-by for their fair pay campaign.
BPCS organiser Lizzie Woods brandished a cleaning brush and loudhailer at the palace gates to declare: "Thirty million pounds of taxpayers money is paid to the royal family annually for the upkeep of the royal household.
"It is clear the London living wage is affordable."
Basking in sunshine union members waved placards outside the main gates to the palace chanting: "Fair pay for royal cleaners!" before being moved on by police.
However the stewards turned the tactical withdrawal into a march across the royal parks, delivering their message to huge crowds massed near the Queen's residence.
One cleaner who did not want to be identified for fear of reprisals said that working conditions were deteriorating at Buckingham Palace.
"I am afraid of being sacked or moved to another site if I am found to be speaking about this," said the cleaner.
"They think because we clean up shit, that we have shit for brains. But we will not go away."
Passers-by voiced their anger and disproval at the low wages forced onto the cleaners, all of whom are migrant workers.
Tourist Attracta Kelly said: "With all the hype and money over the royal wedding, it's disgraceful they are not paid the London living wage."
The benchmark living wage in the city now stands at £7.85, the figure calculated as the minimum to survive on in London.
It was introduced by Labour former mayor Ken Livingstone and was endorsed by current Mayor Boris Johnson.
It is now paid to many workers including cleaners in Parliament.
Speaking to the Star Ms Woods said that today's protest was just the start of the campaign for fair pay for their palace counterparts, who are employed by contractor KGB Holdings.
She said: "KGB is worth 23 million pounds - they can afford to pay the increase.
"We will escalate the campaign when US President Barack Obama visits and stays in Buckingham Palace in May."
Joining the protest and march across the royal parks Labour MP and PCS parliamentary convener John McDonnell said the royal family bore responsibility for the exploitation.
"It's a scandalous act of hypocrisy when millions is spent on the royal wedding and for the Queen not to pay the London living wage."
Mr McDonnell urged to people to pressure their MPs to sign EDM 1696 on the issue and for the public to sign the online petition at pcs.org.uk/royalcleaners.
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/104045.