Workers employed as cleaners and catering staff at Downing Street are set to begin a continuous month-long strike from February 24 to March 25, 2024. The Industrial action, organized by the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union, includes staff at various government departments, including the Cabinet Office, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and the Department for Education.

The strike aims to address long-standing grievances over pay, holiday entitlement, and overall working conditions.

The PCS is advocating for an increase in wages for the outsourced cleaning and catering staff, who are employed by the facility services company ISS.

The union is also pressing the government to move these outsourced positions into official civil service roles.

The strike extension follows a series of intermittent strike actions that began in October 2023, affecting the aforementioned government offices.

The PCS union is covering the pay of its members during the strike period.

Civil servants and ministers are permitted to cross picket lines as they are not involved in the ongoing dispute.

The involvement of No 10 cleaners in this strike is particularly notable in the context of past controversies surrounding alleged disrespect towards cleaning staff during the tenure of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

During investigations into social events that violated lockdown regulations, reports indicated that cleaning personnel dealt with tasks that included cleaning up after incidents involving spilled alcohol, among other disrespectful situations.

The Cabinet Office has stated that the responsibility for negotiating the current pay and conditions dispute lies with ISS, asserting it is not directly involved in the talks.

Conversely, the PCS maintains that the government has a role to play in resolving the situation.

The union has highlighted its concerns regarding the contracting arrangement with ISS, suggesting that lifting workers off outsourced contracts would significantly improve their conditions.

A spokesperson for ISS expressed disappointment regarding the strike, emphasizing the company's commitment to resolving the issues at hand.

Negotiations concerning these contracts are anticipated to begin in the coming months, as current agreements with ISS and other service providers, such as G4S and OCS, are set to expire in three years.

The PCS seeks to prompt the government into action regarding previous commitments to reduce reliance on outsourcing in essential services such as cleaning and catering within government departments.