Labour challenges Philip Hammond to intervene with Interserve over FCO cleaners’ pay

Hilary Benn MP, Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary, has today written to Philip Hammond asking him to intervene with Interserve following reports of disciplinary action against FCO cleaners.

The full text of the letter is below:

Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP

Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

King Charles Street

LONDON SW1A 2AH 

I have read with great concern reports in the press today regarding disciplinary action taken by Interserve, a contractor working for the FCO, against cleaners in their employment who work at the FCO’s offices.

It appears that a letter sent to you dated 21 July 2015 by a number of cleaners asking for a meeting to discuss the possibility of receiving a Living Wage was used as part of this action by Interserve. I spoke to one of your cleaners today who told me about this and she was very upset about what happened.

I understand that other government departments do pay the Living Wage to their cleaners. Indeed your Cabinet colleague Iain Duncan Smith MP met with cleaners asking for the Living Wage and ensured they got it.

I have some questions that I would be grateful if you could answer:

·      Did your office pass this letter to Interserve and, if so, were any comments made about its contents?

·      Is the FCO aiming to become an accredited Living Wage employer and, if so, by when?

·      Will you investigate what happened and intervene with Interserve to ensure that citizens exercising their democratic right to write to a Government minister are able to do so without having to fear repercussions from their employer?

The people who clean your offices are trusted colleagues who work in a sensitive environment. They should be treated with dignity and respect, and if their colleagues elsewhere in Whitehall are now being paid the Living Wage then I cannot see why they should not be treated equally. I do hope that you will ensure that a Living Wage is paid to the cleaners at the FCO in time for Christmas.