UK: Migrant workers employed by outsourced co. Sodexo to clean UCL protest alleged poverty wages, discrimination & "gruelling" workloads; incl. co. response
They give you five minutes to clean one shower. We are always sick. And we know why, they give us more work than we are supposed to do. Now it’s going to be even more tough.Pedro, cleaner employed by Sodexo at UCL
In October 2025, it was reported that cleaners are striking due to alleged poor working conditions and cuts to staffing levels at the UK university, University College London (UCL).
The workers are employed by outsourced cleaning firm, Sodexo. The workers allege poverty wages, discrimination and “gruelling” workloads, which workers say will be worsened by staffing cuts.
The protests were organised by the trade union, IWGB, who said the staffing cuts will primarily impact Black and Latin American migrant women. The protests mark the second round of strike action against the company and UCL, following an earlier strike in September. IWGB is calling for the cleaners to be employed directly, rather than through outsourcing.
The cleaners do essential work for this educational establishment but they are invisible…they don’t treat them like human beings. The meeting room, kitchens, toilets are all cleaned by these people and nobody recognises it.IWGB General Secretary, Henry Chango-Lopez
In November, the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Sodexo to respond to the allegations. It’s response can be read in full below.