Cleaning staff say jobs are threatened

Twenty workers employed by a cleaning firm in the former Irish Times building on D'Olier Street, Dublin, say they are in danger of losing their jobs after the newspaper completes its move to new offices later this month.

The men and women were employed by Grosvenor Cleaning Services Ltd to clean the D'Olier Street offices. Grosvenor told them that although it did not win the tender for cleaning services in the new offices on Tara Street, their jobs would transfer there under Transfer of Undertakings legislation.

Mary Horgan, operations director with Grosvenor Cleaning Services Ltd, said it was her understanding that the staff would be transferred to the new building under the legislation.

However, Frances Sheridan, services director at Master Clean, the company that won the contract to clean the new building, said they were satisfied they had no legal obligation to employ the cleaners.

A spokesman for The Irish Times said it was their understanding that Master Clean had offered to interview all of the Grosvenor staff for positions within their company. He added the company would insist any contractor they engaged would be fully compliant with employment legislation.