1 July at 7pm 34-35 New Bond Street, London W1A 2AA
This protest will coincide with a Contemporary Art Evening Auction scheduled to start at 7pm .The combined estimated value of the paintings to be sold that evening comes to £353,000,000 (£353 million)
A few months ago the grass-roots trade union United Voices of the World (UVW) successfully campaigned at Sotheby’s and won the London Living Wage, contractual sick pay, the reinstatement of their trade union members that had been suspended and dismissed and many other things.
Now Sotheby’s and their cleaning contractor Servest have refused to pay up!
At the moment the cleaners and porters are only paid Statutory Sick Pay, which is £35 for the first week they are off sick. This means they are faced with the Dickensian choice between working and sick and getting sicker or risking eviction for not being able to pay the rent.
A choice between their health and their home is not a choice anyone should have to make!
In response to the cleaners’ and porters’ campaign Servest threatened to discipline them if they were to protest. In fact, a trade union member and a key organiser of the campaign is currently victimised and faces dismissal procedures. This is a direct attack to the human rights, enshrined in Articles 10&11 of the European Convention on Human rights.
Find out more here
Please join the cleaners and porters in solidarity on the 1st July. Lets make it a creative and noisy poorest! Please also spread the word.