Dozens of migrant cleaners at Harrods are preparing to strike over “discriminatory” holiday policy affecting Black and Asian workers as the company celebrates its 175th anniversary, can reveal. The policy, which a union has described as “new” and “draconian”, limits workers’ holidays to a maximum of two weeks which will restrict their ability to take time off to visit their families abroad. Harrods’ facilities workers received notification of new guidelines in June, resulting in those who had already arranged and paid for their holidays left scrambling to cancel or change their plans.
Harrods insists that the policy is not new, but that it is now enforcing it. These employees often save for several years to travel long distances to visit their families with many unable to take several shorter trips in a year. Since the announcement, the workers claim Harrods has turned down holiday requests longer than two weeks amid accusations that the company is “undermining the welfare of its migrant workforce” comprised of cleaners from Asia and Africa.
Petros Elia, general secretary of United Voices of the World (UVW) union representing the cleaners, told that she considers this policy is tantamount to race discrimination. “Harrods is celebrating its 175th anniversary, but it seems they haven’t learned a thing about treating their workers with respect and dignity,” she said. “It would seem this is a clear case of discrimination against migrant workers, who ha.