Kinsley school cleaners in Scrooge-like sacking over pay row Published duration 23 December 2016

image caption Lesley Leake, Karen McGee and Marice Hall staged a protest march in Barnsley in October

Three cleaners who went on strike over a pay dispute have been sacked in a move branded Scrooge-like by one MP.

The women, who worked at Kinsley Academy, claimed their pay had been cut after the contract switched from Wakefield Council to C&D Cleaning.

The three women were reportedly dismissed by C&D Cleaning on Monday.

C&D have been approached for comment but confirmed to the Guardian the trio had had their employment terminated.

Labour MP for Hemsworth Jon Trickett said : "With only days till Christmas it looks like Scrooge has been brought back to life from Victorian times."

Lesley Leake, Karen McGee and Marice Hall went on strike in September saying their pay had been slashed and their pensions, holiday and sick pay had also been cut when the contract changed hands after the primary school became an academy.

In October about 100 people joined the women on a protest march through Barnsley, where C&D Cleaning is based.

'Angered by sacking'

According to reports the women were sacked following a disciplinary hearing on 19 December.

Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "I am angered that three striking primary school cleaners from Kinsley have been sacked.

"When I met them, they explained how their wages were cut following the outsourcing of their contracts to a private company.

"Outsourcing is bad for our public services and workers. The cleaners' jobs must be brought back in-house with fair pay and conditions."

The BBC has approached C&D Cleaning for a comment.

'Heartless in extreme'

In a statement published in the Guardian, the company said the women had been invited to a disciplinary hearing to "respond to allegations of gross misconduct".

It said: "The outcome of the hearing was termination of employment.

"The company will not comment further at this stage so as not prejudice any internal process."

Unison general secretary Dave Prentis said: "These women bravely took action to protect their wages and employment rights.

"To then sack them just days before Christmas is heartless in the extreme."

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