Demonstration on Friday 21st September 2012 at 5pm
Address: 41 Tower Hill, Fenchurch Street, London EC3N 4SN
Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/events/139741379505609/

Societe Generale’s Corporate Social Responsibility don’t seem to care that one of their goals is “Making sure each person counts”. This policy seems not to apply to those who clean their offices in London.

On 3rd September, the cleaners of Societe Generale’s offices in Tower Hill negotiated the London Living Wage which is at £8.30 with the contracting cleaning company Initial Facilities. This would have resulted in a significant improvement on workers’ incomes. However soon after this agreement was made, Societe Generale with Initial Facilities reduced the cleaners working hours by 50% without negotiation, directing the workers to accept the cuts or be made redundant.

This will reduce their take home pay from £61.92 to £33.20. Whilst Societe Generale have no problem issuing rewards for failure for their highest paid staff, their operational managers seem intent on issuing punishments for success for their lowest paid staff. Cleaners have responded by organising a series of demonstrations co-ordinated by their union, Industrial Workers of Great Britain. The union has pledged taking more direct action in the following week.

Chris Ford, IWGB General Secretary states:

“Societe Generale might think its charitable work in London’s East End is laudable but it is meaningless when they treat their cleaners like dirt.”