Low-paid cleaners have accused the Living Wage Foundation of giving accreditation to an “uncaring” outsourcing company paying less than the living wage.
Facilities services giant OCS is accredited under a bespoke scheme for outsourcing firms. But the company has only committed to paying a living wage to its centrally employed staff. The scheme does not cover the majority of OCS’s 50,000 workforce, who are tied to external contracts.
Staff at OCS who clean the British Airways headquarters and its Heathrow offices only receive £11.44 an hour, which is the minimum permitted by the government. Their pay is below the foundation’s current living wage rate of £12.60 across the UK and £13.85 an hour in London.
OCS, which posted UK operating profits of £28.3m in 2023, states on its website it is “championing fair wages” as part of the scheme. One cleaner, who asked not to be named, claimed the reality was very different to the image OCS, formerly Office Cleaning Services, presented to the world: “It is not true… they are treating us like slaves … it is very, very unfair.”
She claimed the cleaners’ repeated requests for higher pay had been ignored. The workers have joined the Unite union and are currently balloting for strike action. “We have been fighting for a pay rise for three years. We have written letters. We have spoken to managers,” she said. “No one has taken any action so we have all joined the union to fight back.”
Some workers are struggling to pay the rent and others have started using food banks. “Now everything is expensive. Everybody is suffering. The salary is not enough for us. [OCS] are getting profits. They are getting the benefit [of our work]. We are not getting anything,” added the worker. “OCS do not care for us.”
The cleaners, whose uniforms include BA logos, claim to have also been ignored by the airline. “They are responsible too. But they didn’t take any action. They are treating us as very low and cheap people. Every human being has a right to live equally,” said the worker.
The cleaners work 12-hour shifts, including nights from 6pm to 6am. They claim they do not get extra for working through the night or on public holidays such as Christmas Day. Another cleaner, who also asked not to be named, said: “We work hard. We make [OCS] into a very rich company. But they never look after us.”
A Living Wage Foundation page on the OCS website states that the firm is a “long-term … champion of the real living wage”, which is working with the foundation “to champion the living wage one contract at a time”.
The foundation accredits some of the UK’s largest outsourcing companies under its service provider scheme, which is separate to its living wage employer certification. Accredited outsourcing firms must offer a living wage option when they attempt to win contracts but they do not have to guarantee a living wage to employees on client contracts.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham called on the foundation to clean up its act and stop “ethics washing” the reputation of companies such as OCS. She said denying the workers a decent wage is all about companies cynically further boosting already huge profits at the expense of a dedicated, committed workforce.
“It is disgraceful that these workers are not being paid a decent wage. Both British Airways and OCS are incredibly wealthy and can fully afford to pay the workers fairly and decently.”
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An OCS spokesperson said any claims made are treated seriously, adding: “Our priority is the welfare of our colleagues. To support this, we offer a range of initiatives, including schemes to assist with financial wellbeing. We also work closely with our customers to ensure pay and conditions meet contractual agreements and industry standards.”
BA declined to comment.
The Living Wage Foundation said it worked with service providers to drive living wage jobs in some of the lowest-paid sectors.
“Through this work with over 190 recognised service providers, we have seen an additional 130,000 jobs lifted on to a real living wage,” said a spokesperson.
“We know the impact of this on workers and their families, and we will continue to work with leading service providers to push for more jobs that meet the cost of living, and provide people with everyday needs.”
