Cleaners, caterers and other low-paid workers are still being made to show up to work in the Houses of Parliament despite the COVID-19 lockdown, openDemocracy has discovered.
Cleaners – including around 60 employed by outsourcing giant Atalian Servest – are being forced to go in day and night, even though parliament is not sitting and there is nothing for them to do.
These workers have asked to be furloughed as they are concerned about catching and spreading the virus both at work and on their commute, say their union, Unite. But their outsourced employers have refused this request.
