The latest victims are a group of cleaners who work for the services company Mitie. They were asked to come to the site of Willis Insurance brokers for a chemicals training course but instead were met by immigration officers. Three cleaners, one Ecuadorian named Ricardo Benites and two Bolivians were detained.

This action is in the wake of months of weekly protests organised by a group of former Mitie cleaners and their supporters including shop steward Edwin Pazmino, who were sacked for refusing to work a longer night shift.

Lancaster, another cleaning company has also seen fit to try to rid its ranks of trade union activists. On May 7 2009 Alberto Durango, a Justice for Cleaners activist was invited to the company under false pretences and arrested by police and immigration officers. After handcuffing him, searching his home and confiscating political material, his papers were found to be in order and he was eventually released with a warning.

Then later that same month the cleaning company Office and General sent out a letter informing the cleaners at the University College London site that if they didn’t come in with their documents ready to show immigration officers they would be subject to dismissal or worse. Needless to say, some of the more vulnerable workers didn’t come in and lost their jobs.

Next it was the early morning SOAS raid, the timing of which coincided with the fierce struggle of José Stalin Bermúdez, a UNISON branch chair and former cleaner at SOAS who was sacked again under false pretences by the company ISS after he helped cleaners fight against poverty pay.

These are but a few examples of a stepped-up campaign by companies to get rid of fighting workers – by any means necessary.

Commenting on the struggle of immigrant workers, Andy Higgenbottom from the Colombia Solidarity said it is important to understand why immigrant workers come to Britain in the first place.  The reason being “the destructive exploitation of the poor countries by the rich, extraction of wealth by multinationals and impoverishment of vast majority by centuries of colonialism and imperialism that is going on again today in countries like Peru.” He asks, “Who are the real criminals?”

Yes, the cleaners are from different sites, the unions involved may vary, but the issue remains the same. Cleaners who fight to improve their conditions – eventually come under attack.

The cleaners invite everybody to give their full support for the next demonstration of Mitie cleaners in front of the Willis building to demand the reinstatement of the 4 cleaners and against all immigration raids.

DEMONSTATE!:

Friday 17 July 1 p.m. in front of Willis Building, 51 Lime Street or at 12:30 pm outside Liverpool Street Station in front of McDonalds.

No-one is illegal, papers for all!

Venceremos! We will win!

Get organised!

Together we are stronger!