Demonstrators will protest outside Southwark Council tonight (Wednesday 25 February) over plans to halve the number of estate cleaning staff working on Sundays.
The council announced earlier this month that it intends to cut the number of staff working Sunday overtime from 117 to 58, which would save £250k and avoid further hiking up service charges for residents.
Protesters affiliated with UNISON will gather outside Southwark’s Tooley Street offices to demonstrate against the plans at 6pm, just before councillors meet to vote on the council’s next budget.
A leaflet circulated by the trade union calls on the council to “stop the cuts to Sunday overtime for estate cleaners” and to “stop the attack on services for council tenants.”
It accuses the council of making an “attack on the lowest paid workers in the council and on resident services.”
According to UNISON, the cuts will mean cleaning staff who work Sunday shifts every week will see their average weekly overtime pay drop from £97 to £48.
Staff who work overtime every other week will see their weekly overtime pay drop from £48 to £24.
The council responded that reducing the number of cleaning staff meant it could avoid further hiking up service charges above inflation.
Service charges, which cover estate cleaning grounds maintenance communal lighting and door entry, have gone up from £14.10 per week to a new charge of £15.15 per week for 2026-27.
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A Southwark Council spokesperson said: “We absolutely appreciate and recognise the importance of estate cleaners in Southwark who do a valuable job in maintaining estates all over the borough for our residents.
“As estate cleaning is paid through service charges we also have a responsibility to manage the costs that residents are facing during a cost-of-living crisis. In order to avoid service charges increasing above inflation we need to manage the cleaning demands to keep the balance sustainable.
“Although this may mean a reduction in hours for some teams we have a system in place ensuring staff have access to all other overtime opportunities to take up more hours where possible. We are intent on protecting hourly pay and working with unions to do the most we can to support our people.”
