Radisson settles housekeeper dispute at central London hotel

Housekeepers at the Radisson Blu Euston Square hotel in central London have settled a dispute with their employer following pressure from independent trade union United Voices of the World (UVW).

The dispute involved the site’s 31 housekeepers, all of whom are UVW members. The workers, all migrants and predominantly women, secured a reduction in workloads, a pay increase and guaranteed full-time hour contracts.

The housekeepers were prepared to escalate the dispute and vote for strike action, but this proved unnecessary as management agreed to their requests before any strike ballot was triggered.

Radisson Blu Euston Square housekeeper Brenda Kanu said: “This time last year everybody was so miserable. We were doing 22 or more rooms, and all knew it was wrong. Everyone was sad. But now everybody’s so happy.

“We should have stuck together to fight like this before, but people were scared. But since we joined the union and fought, we’ve solved our problems.”

Isabel Cortes, UVW assistant general secretary, added: “This is a decisive and inspiring victory for migrant women workers who are so often invisible and undervalued in the hospitality sector.

“Once again, housekeepers have shown that when workers organise, stand together and are ready to act, they can win real and transformative change. This win at Radisson Blu Euston Square puts hotel bosses across London on notice – exploitation will be challenged, and workers are organising.”

This latest win follows another UVW-led victory earlier this year at Radisson Blu Canary Wharf, where housekeepers took part in the first hotel strike in England since 1979. That dispute resulted in the same demands being won in full.

The workers had originally planned to engage in industrial action from 29 August. The majority of housekeepers looking to strike were employed by outsourcing company WGC, which oversees cleaning operations across nine Radisson properties in London.

Staff participated in the first round of strikes on 9 August, citing “unsustainable” conditions.

Radisson has been contacted for comment.